Pediatric Eye Care
If there’s one thing we love here at Insight Vision Center it’s KIDS! We love seeing kids from the time they’re babies until they become full fledged grown-ups. If you catch our doctors singing “twinkle twinkle little star” while checking your baby’s eyes or giving out “Insight Bucks” for our prize counter- let’s just say it’s all part of making sure your child has a blast coming to our office.
More importantly though, we are dedicated to making sure that your child has the right vision for proper growth and development. 80% of what we learn in school is visual, which is why having great vision during the childhood years are so crucial to good cognitive, academic, and motor development. We know your child needs clear vision to be able to see the board in school, proper depth perception to be able to hit a baseball, and accurate eye tracking skills to be able to read chapter books.
As your eye doctors, we’re always looking ahead to protect your child’s vision not only for today but also for the future. This is why we are so passionate about early detection and early intervention.
We get kids- but also, we get you parents! As any good parent, you want to do what’s right for your kid and so do we. After all, we’re parents too!
Infants 6 mos-12 mos
Here at Insight Vision Center we believe in early detection and early intervention. This is why we recommend an Infant Vision Screening Exam for your baby between 6 – 12 months old.
During this exam we will be screening your infant for the following:
- Do they have age appropriate visual skills?
- Are they showing signs of any crossed eyes?
- Do they have a prescription and need glasses?
- Are their eyes healthy?
Your child is ready for the Infant Vision Screening Exam once they can sit up by themselves, make eye contact, and smile. We may use eye drops during this exam to dilate their eyes as part of the exam, but know that it’s completely safe! They will probably take a very good nap afterwards as the exam is very fun and stimulating for them.
How to prepare for the Infant Vision Screening Exam:
- Please schedule the exam during their usual “play time.” Try to time it so your infant comes when they’re the happiest!
- Bring a few snacks that can be used as rewards for good cooperation during the eye exam.
- Please bring (but don’t give it to them) a bottle or pacifier. This also can be used as part of our eye exam to aid in good cooperation.
- Sometimes, the exam goes really smoothly when your infant is strapped in their infant car seat. Please bring the seat if you can!
Toddlers 1-3
True to the toddler years- examining a toddler’s eyes is lots of fun and yet very challenging! Our doctors know how to make it engaging enough to capture your toddler’s attention and yet quick enough to be done before any chance of a tantrum!
But how can we do an eye exam if your toddler doesn’t know their letters or numbers yet? Not a problem at all! We use a series of pictures and pointing games to get all the information we need from your toddler.
A toddler eye exam includes a complete examination of:
- Visual acuity- their level of vision
- Color vision
- Screening for crossed/lazy eye
- Assessment of their prescription
- Complete check of eye health
How to prepare for your Toddler’s Eye Exam:
- Please schedule the exam during their usual “play time” and make sure they are well rested and in a GREAT mood!
- Bring a few snacks that can be used as rewards for good cooperation during the eye exam.
- Please bring (but don’t give it to them) a sippy cup with a favorite drink inside. This also can be used as part of our eye exam to aid in good cooperation.
- Talk to them beforehand about how fun it will be to go to the eye doctor! Role play at home with the parent being the eye doctor and the child the patient. Use a flashlight and pretend to check your child’s eyes, however do not shine the light directly into their eyes for prolonged periods of time.
- Have them practice pointing to the pictures when you read books- ie “point to the ball,” “point to the duck.” We will use pointing games during their eye exam.
Preschoolers 3-5
Preschool exams are so much fun because your child’s maturity and communication skills are so much more developed! Since your child is beginning to know some of their letters and numbers and can express themselves through talking, preschool eye exams are fun and easy.
Furthermore, preschool exams are so crucial because your child is now starting to develop classroom visual skills. This includes needing to see the board, look at sight words, gross eye- hand coordination to be able to catch a ball, and fine eye-hand coordination to learn how to write.
A preschool eye exam includes a complete examination of:
- Visual acuity- their level of vision
- Color vision
- Depth perception
- Screening for crossed/lazy eye
- Assessment of their prescription
- Complete check of eye health
How to prepare for your Preschooler’s Eye Exam:
- Please schedule the exam during their usual “play time” and make sure they are well rested and in a GREAT mood!
- Talk to them beforehand about how fun it will be to go to the eye doctor! Role play at home with the parent being the eye doctor and the child the patient. Use a flashlight and pretend to check your child’s eyes, however do not shine the light directly into their eyes for prolonged periods of time.
- Have them practice saying their letters. While your preschooler is sitting on a chair, you (the parent) sit 10 feet away from them and write a single upper case letter on a whiteboard or piece of paper. Show it to them and have them call out the letter.
Elementary School to High school 5- 18
A yearly eye exam for your child from the elementary school age to high school age is so important because these are their growing years! During these years your child will grow nearly 2 feet taller, and with that comes the growth of their eyes and visual system!
The most common findings we want to rule out during your child’s eye exam are:
- Myopia progression- a worsening of your child’s prescription
- Amblyopia/lazy eye due to uncorrected prescription or a crossed eye
- Double vision due to poor eye teaming
- Reading difficulties due to poor eye tracking skills
- Headaches or eye strain due to weak eye teaming skills and stamina
An eye exam for this age range includes all the tests that are performed in an adult eye exam.
Special Needs
We understand that going to the eye doctor can seem scary not only to your child, but also for you the parent. Will the doctor know how to properly work with my child? Will they be gentle? Will the office and staff be able to accommodate my child in a wheelchair? Here at Insight Vision Center, we not only get kids- but we get kids with special needs too. They have a special place in our hearts just like they do in yours.
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
We firmly believe in the importance of routine eye exams for your child with ASD because research has shown that behavioral and sensory deficits could very well be linked to poor visual processing.
In children with ASD, here are common visual findings:
- Atypical eye movements
- Increased prevalence of strabismus (crossed eye)
- Increased prevalence of astigmatism
- Poor visual attention
- Easily overwhelmed by crowding effect (ie. word searches are overwhelming)
- Decreased visual attention
Early detection and intervention of these visual skills can lead to improved outcomes and better social development. Furthermore, vision therapy can be very beneficial in some cases in helping your child to develop stronger foundational skills to promote better learning. Ask your doctor if vision therapy is needed for your child. (link to VT page)
Children with Down Syndrome
Annual eye exams are so important for children with down syndrome because they have a high prevalence of many vision conditions that can interfere with their growth and development.
Children with Down Syndrome have a higher prevalence of:
- Blurry vision
- Nystagmus (dancing eyes)
- High prescriptions
- Difficulties focusing up close
- Strabiusmus (crossed eye)
- Structural abnormalities within the eye
If not treated, many of these visual conditions can lead to permanent vision loss and poor development of depth perception and reading skills. Furthermore, vision therapy can be very helpful with children with down syndrome to eliminate strabismus (crossed eyes) and improve overall vision skills that will improve school performance. Ask your doctor if vision therapy is needed for your child. (link to VT page)
Visit our Children’s optical to see the specialized frame lines designed specifically for down syndrome. With special curves around the nose and ears, these frames are designed especially for your child’s face.
Children with Cerebral Palsy
Annual eye exams are so important for children with cerebral palsy because 80% of patients with cerebral palsy will have some kind of vision issues.
Most common vision issues seen in children with Cerebral Palsy are:
- Strabismus (crossed eye)
- High prescriptions
- Amblyopia (lazy eye)
- Loss of peripheral vision
Since vision is such an important way these patients learn, we must ensure that your child has the very best vision possible. We also can prescribe great exercises to strengthen your child’s vision and help them to develop the necessary visual skills they need to thrive. Our office is wheelchair friendly and our doctors know exactly how to connect with your child.
