Take the Stress Out of Your Child’s Eye Care

Kids (for the most part) don’t really like seeing the doctor. A doctor’s appointment is time away from playing with friends or going outside.

However, when your child visits Hercules Optometric Group, they’re treated with the kindness and care they want to see from their doctor. With a genuine interest in your child and their wellbeing, we achieve a unique level of eye care founded on trust and respect. We can then look deeper into your child’s eye health and provide you comprehensive solutions.

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When Should Your Child Have an Eye Exam?

Knowing when your child should have an eye exam is just as important as the eye exam itself!Your child’s eyes go through many changes as they grow, and just like adults, these changes can affect their eye health and vision. We’re here to help you manage your child’s eyes throughout their lives, so we recommend they have an eye exam that aligns with their visual milestones.

1 to 2 Years Old

Your child should have their first eye exam after their first birthday. Because many aspects of their vision are still taking shape, this eye exam helps ensure their eyes are developing as expected while also evaluating their visual skills, like tracking and depth perception.

3 to 5 Years Old

Your child should have their next eye exam sometime between ages 3 and 5. This age range is crucial for their eye development. Certain conditions like amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (crossed eyes) are known to develop at this point.

These conditions could lead to permanent vision issues if they’re not managed early enough.

6 to 18 Years Old

When your child enters school, they should have annual eye exams until they are 18. Children depend on their sight quite a bit in school, and unmanaged eye conditions could lead to poor grades or trouble playing sports.

We can help manage these issues as your child grows up and ensure they can use their vision confidently.

Common Eye Issues for Children

Myopia

Myopia (nearsightedness) is a common eye condition that can make it difficult for your child to see distant objects clearly.

Myopia generally develops during your child’s school years. It generally stabilizes around age 20, but it can worsen with age. Myopia can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

Amblyopia

Amblyopia (lazy eye) is a condition that causes one of your child’s eyes to wander. It can develop if they have a high refractive error in one eye and possibly lead to reduced vision if the condition isn’t managed.

Amblyopia is a lifelong condition, but we can manage it with corrective lenses or vision therapy.

Strabismus

Strabismus (crossed eyes) is an eye condition that affects how your child’s eyes align. It can occur with high refractive errors or poor eye muscle control. If untreated, vision issues can progress until your child’s brain starts to ignore images from their “weaker” eye.

Like amblyopia, strabismus is a lifelong condition, but we can manage it with prescription lenses or recommend vision therapy.

Pink Eye

If you have a child in daycare or school, there’s a reasonable possibility they could develop a case of pink eye. Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is a common eye condition with many different causes. Symptoms often include:

Eye redness
Mucusy discharge
Crustiness
Irritation
Itchiness
Tearing

Some versions of this condition are highly contagious and can easily spread between children. If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact us as soon as possible so we can diagnose and treat them.

If chemical exposure causes these symptoms, please flush their eyes out with cool, clean water for 15 minutes and call our team immediately.

Does Your Child Have an Eye Problem?

Your child may have a vision problem if they:

Sit close to the front of class
Hold books close to their face
Frequently rub their eyes
Avoid close-up work

Give your child the care they deserve today and book them for an eye exam. We can help them attain the vision they deserve and find a funky pair of glasses that’ll fit their unique look and personality!

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Where to Find Us

You can find us on the first floor of Aventine Apartments right on Sycamore Avenue. Find angled parking right outside with accessibility options available.