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Importance of Pediatric Eye Exams

Children and teens need to maintain their eye health for learning, motor skills, and coordination as they grow. Having proper eye care, including eyeglasses and exams, is critical to your child's development. That's why our optometrists at SouthWest Eye Care in Bakersfield are ready to care for your child's vision, whether they are a newborn or just starting high school. Early detection is key to your child's visual health and development.

Pediatric Eye Exams

Your Child's First Eye Exam

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that your child visit a pediatric optometrist at age three for a comprehensive eye exam. This should be earlier if you notice any problems with your child's vision. The American Optometric Association recommends that children as young as six months to a year have their first pediatric eye exam and again at three years of age. At five years, children should begin annual exams with their pediatric optometrist. It's essential to consult with our professional staff to decide when the best time is for your child to receive his or her first eye exam.

Conditions Children Are Screened For

There are a number of screenings that are done during a pediatric eye exam. These tests are designed to evaluate the eye's development and identify any problems or potential issues early on. Here are some of the few things we test for at our Bakersfield office.  

Hereditary Conditions Affecting the Eyes

At your child's first pediatric eye exam, you will be asked about any eye conditions that may have affected you or other family members. A common eye problem that runs in families is strabismus, a condition that causes the eyes to appear crossed. There are several treatment options available if your child is affected. It's important that this condition is identified early on, since it can lead to vision loss when left untreated.

Oculomotor Skills

During a screening of your child's oculomotor skills, we will evaluate how well your child can control their eye movement. Eye movement sends information to the brain, which then communicates how the body responds to visual stimulation. To assess this, our pediatric optometrists look at your child's ability to focus and hold a steady gaze. We will also ask your child to look at different objects, both near and far. This helps us assess his or her ability to focus on things in different directions and distances.  

Diagnosing Refractive Errors

There are several refractive errors that our optometrists will look for during a pediatric eye exam.  This includes testing for myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism (blurriness due to the shape of the cornea). In addition, our team can go over various options available for vision correction during the exam.

Contact Us for Your Child's Pediatric Eye Exam in Bakersfield, CA

It's crucial to ensure that your child's eye health is properly managed by a team of professionals. That's why our team at SouthWest Eye Care is here to help. We will assess how well your child's eyes are developing and notice any potential issues early on. Contact our Bakersfield office today to learn more about how we can help you and your family through our various optometry services.