Did you know that up to 85% of our learning, cognition, and perception are done through our vision? Understandably, this is a sense you want to take good care of, especially when it comes to your little ones!
Perhaps your pediatrician has suggested that your child schedule an eye exam. But what does it entail, exactly?
Here’s what to expect from a pediatric eye exam!
What to Bring
Before you set off for your child’s eye appointment, you need to prepare.
If you can get a copy of your kid’s medical records, that’d be great. Otherwise, you can just provide the eye doctor with a rough idea of your child’s medical problems, allergies, and surgical procedures they’ve had before.
You should also bring all glasses and contacts they’re currently wearing, as well as medications they’re taking. If they’ve had eye exams before, bring those records along.
Lastly, don’t forget their insurance card!
The Pediatric Eye Exam Itself
When you and your child arrive for their eye exam, it’ll actually happen in several parts. Here are the tests that your kid will go through.
Acuity Test
This is the test that most of us are familiar with. It’s where your kid’s vision is tested by sitting a distance away from an eye chart that has letters of varying sizes. They’ll be asked to read certain lines with 1 eye closed, the other closed, and then with both open.
The eye doctor will also test your kid’s depth perception to see if everything’s in order.
Pupil Test
The pupil is key in filtering light into the eye. So it’s vital that your child’s are working correctly.
First, the doctor will shine a light in each eye. They’ll observe how the pupils react.
Then, your child’s eyes are dilated. After about 30 minutes, they’ll open up. The eye doctor will then use special equipment that’ll evaluate the back of the eyes to ensure nothing’s out of place.
Eye Movement Test
The doctor will also check how well your kid reacts to stimuli. They’ll use either their finger, pen, or a toy to move from left to right, top to bottom. IN any case, the eye doctor will see how well your child’s eyes follow the item.
During this test, they’ll also test your little one’s peripheral vision.
Fitting for Glasses
If, at the end of the exam, it’s determined that your child has vision impairment, you’ll have to go through the extra step of being fitted for glasses (that is, if you choose to purchase glasses from your eye doctor’s store).
You can go and pick out a few frames that your kid likes. After they’ve tried them on and selected one, the eye doctor will ensure it’s a good fit for them. Then, they’ll take measurements and send them to the lab to get the lenses made.
Go to Your Child’s Eye Exam Prepared
Now that you know what to expect from a pediatric eye exam, both you and your child can have peace of mind.
The next step is to schedule an eye appointment at your earliest convenience. By finding out what vision impairments your child has (if any), taking care of it early on can prevent more serious problems from arising in the future.
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