The national organization for Optometrists recommends that the first eye exam should be done between 6-12 months old and sooner if parents are noticing that the infants' eyes are not straight, have abnormal or unusual appearances, etc. At these exams, the doctor evaluates objectively to see if the infants have any form of eye turn (strabismus), lazy eye (amblyopia), refractive error (myopia or near-sightedness, hyperopia or far-sightedness, and/or astigmatism which is when the front of the eye has a more pointed instead of round appearance), etc. Additionally, the health of the infants' eyes are evaluated (front and inside of the eyes are evaluated). The exam at this early age is extremely important because it allows for the early detection of conditions that can be very damaging to the infants' vision and the development of their eyes.

The office has a doctor who is great with kids and who is currently teaching future eye doctors on how to examine the pediatric population. She is great with these very young patients. Very few eye doctor offices have the experience or are even capable of caring for these very young patients.

Former President Jimmy Carter is a tremendous advocate of the recommendation that all infants should have their first eye exam at 6-12 months old because one of his grandchildren received an eye exam as a toddler and amblyopia (lazy eye) was diagnosed and treated while another grandchild who didn't receive the first eye exam until grade school was diagnosed with amblyopia however, the condition, because it was diagnosed later on may never be fully correctable.

Public health experts agree that visual development is most dramatic between 6 and 12 months of age and that early detection can prevent and help reduce the threat of serious vision impairments. In fact, one in every 10 children is at risk from undiagnosed eye and vision problems. However, a survey fielded by BabyCenter.com reveals that nearly half of new and expectant mothers mistakenly believe that because a baby’s eyes are changing and their vision is developing in their first year of life, it is best to wait until the child is older to get them screened by an eye care professional.

Further, while 97 percent of mothers said they do everything they can to ensure their children’s health, only 13 percent of mothers with children younger than 2 years of age said they had taken their babies to see an eye and vision care professional for a regular check-up or well-care visit. This discrepancy suggests a lack of understanding about the importance of early intervention. If left untreated, eye and vision problems can impact learning and may lead to permanent vision impairment. “As parents, we regularly take our children to the dentist to help prevent cavities. Likewise, we should take our babies to the Optometrist to help prevent potential eye and vision problems,” said former President Carter.

If you have any questions or if you would like to make an appointment for an eye exam, please don't hesitate to contact our office. Call NOW for an appointment!