Kids' eye exams: when to start, what we check, and the signs parents miss
A school screening isn't an eye exam. Here is when kids should be seen, what we look for, and the quiet signs that a child isn't seeing well.
Roughly one in four school-age children has a vision problem, and most of them don't know it. A child who has never seen clearly has nothing to compare to, so they don't complain. They just fall a little behind, or get labeled fidgety, or decide they hate reading.
When to bring them in
- 6 to 12 months: a first exam to check that the eyes are developing and working together.
- Age 3 to 5: a full exam before kindergarten, when lazy eye (amblyopia) is still very treatable.
- Before first grade, then every year: vision changes fast during school years, and the demands on it (reading, screens, sports) grow every year.
Yes, every year. A child's prescription can change significantly in twelve months.
A school screening is not an eye exam
School and pediatrician screenings check distance acuity: can the child read the chart across the room. They miss farsightedness, focusing and eye-teaming problems, and eye health issues entirely, and those are exactly the things that make reading hard. A comprehensive exam checks how the eyes focus up close, how they move and work together, and whether the eyes themselves are healthy.
Signs a child isn't seeing well
- Sitting close to the TV or holding books and tablets near the face
- Squinting, head tilting, or covering one eye
- Losing their place when reading, skipping lines, using a finger to track
- Headaches or eye rubbing after school or homework
- Short attention span for close work, avoiding reading
- Clumsiness with balls or stairs, or trouble copying from the board
- An eye that drifts in or out, even occasionally
Any one of these is reason enough for an exam.
What a kids' exam is like here
Dr. Dolan is known around Rochester Hills for being great with kids. The exam is adapted to age: pictures and shapes instead of letters for little ones, and tests that don't require a child to answer at all. He can measure a prescription objectively, even in a four-year-old who would rather be anywhere else. Most kids leave thinking it was a game.
Glasses kids will actually wear
The frame has to survive recess and the child has to like it. We carry Tomato Glasses, flexible, nearly unbreakable frames sized properly for small faces, along with plenty of styles from the big names in kid sizes. Our opticians fit them so they don't slide, and adjustments are free whenever they get bent, which they will.
About screens
Hours of close screen time are linked to faster progression of nearsightedness in children. The best evidence-backed advice is simple: more time outdoors in daylight, and breaks from close work every twenty minutes. If your child is already nearsighted and getting worse each year, ask Dr. Dolan about options for slowing it down.
Book a kids' eye exam in Rochester Hills at (248) 375-0040. Most vision plans cover children's exams, and VSP is accepted.
20/20 Vision is an independent optometry practice and designer eyewear boutique at 3110 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, MI 48309, serving Rochester Hills, Rochester, Oakland Township, Auburn Hills and Troy since 1980. Eye exams with Dr. David Dolan, OD. In-network with VSP.