Children's Eye Exams

Clear, comfortable vision plays an important role throughout childhood. At Coquitlam Centre Eye Care, we provide comprehensive eye exams for children of all ages, with care tailored to their individual vision and eye health needs.

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Eye Care From an Early Age

Good Vision Supports More Than Just Clear Sight

Children rely heavily on their vision as they learn, play and interact with the world around them. However, a child may not always recognize when something about their vision is unusual. If they have always seen a certain way, they may simply assume that everyone else sees the same way.

A comprehensive eye exam gives your optometrist an opportunity to assess more than how clearly your child can read an eye chart. It allows us to evaluate their vision, prescription, eye coordination and overall eye health while looking for concerns that may benefit from further attention.

Regular eye care also gives us the opportunity to monitor your child’s vision as they grow and their visual needs change.

COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT

What Do We Check During a Children's Eye Exam?

Every child's needs are different, but an examination may include assessment of:

Eye Teaming

Assessing how effectively the two eyes work together.

Prescription

Checking for refractive errors and determining whether glasses or other vision correction may be beneficial.

Visual Acuity

Evaluating how clearly your child sees at different distances.

Focusing

Evaluating the eyes' ability to focus and adjust between different viewing distances.

Eye Alignment

Looking at how the eyes are positioned and move together.

Overall Eye Health

Examining the eyes for signs of potential health concerns or conditions that may require further evaluation.

Know What to Watch For

Signs Your Child May Be Having Difficulty With Their Vision

Children don't always tell their parents when they're having trouble seeing. In many cases, they may not realize that their vision is different from what it should be. Changes in behaviour, schoolwork or everyday habits can sometimes be associated with a vision concern.

You may want to arrange an eye examination if you notice your child frequently squinting, rubbing their eyes, sitting unusually close to screens or holding books very close to their face. Complaints of headaches, tired eyes or difficulty seeing the board at school can also be reasons to have their vision assessed.

Other concerns may be less obvious. A child who regularly loses their place while reading, closes or covers one eye, tilts their head to see or appears to avoid visually demanding activities may benefit from a comprehensive examination.

Some signs to keep an eye on:

Squinting or closing one eye
Your child may be trying to compensate for difficulty seeing clearly.

Frequent headaches or tired eyes
Visual demands at school and during screen use can sometimes make underlying vision concerns more noticeable.

Sitting very close to screens
Consistently moving closer to televisions, tablets or other objects may be worth discussing with your optometrist.

Difficulty with reading or schoolwork
Vision is only one of many factors that can affect learning, but an eye examination can help determine whether a vision concern is present.

Eye turning or unusual alignment
An eye that appears to turn inward or outward should be assessed by an eye-care professional.

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Vision Needs Change Throughout Childhood

A child's eyes and visual needs continue to develop as they grow. The type of care that's appropriate for a young child may be very different from what a teenager needs.

Young Children

Early eye examinations give your optometrist an opportunity to assess vision and eye development at a stage when children may not be able to clearly explain what they're experiencing.

School-Age Children

As reading, writing, computers and classroom work become a larger part of everyday life, visual demands increase. Eye examinations can help ensure your child's vision is meeting those changing demands.

Teenagers

Schoolwork, driving, sports and increased screen use can introduce new visual demands. Prescriptions can also change as children grow, making continued eye care important through the teenage years.