Children’s Eye Exams | St. Thomas, ON

Setting Your Child Up for Visual Success

Vision plays a vital role in children’s growth, learning, and confidence. Setting them up for success early is key, and regular eye exams can help detect issues early, giving you peace of mind.

During your child’s eye exam, our team will check more than their prescription. We’ll assess how well their eyes work together. Strabismus (crossed eyes) and amblyopia (lazy eye) are common childhood vision conditions. Children typically don’t grow out of these conditions, making early treatment essential.

Many eye diseases and conditions develop without noticeable symptoms. Routine eye exams are crucial to your child’s eye health. Book your child’s eye exam today and protect the visual skills that can help your child thrive.

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How Often Does My Child Need an Eye Exam?

The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends that children receive their first eye exam between 6 and 9 months and another between ages 2 and 5. Once your child starts school, annual exams are recommended.

Your child may be unable to voice changes to their vision. Even if your child seems to see well, vision problems can go unnoticed and impact learning. Regular exams help detect concerns before they interfere with daily life.

How Does Vision Affect Learning?

Children rely on their vision to read, write, and engage in the classroom. Undiagnosed vision issues can cause headaches, trouble focusing, and difficulty keeping up with schoolwork and physical activities.

Your child may struggle with reading comprehension if their vision isn’t clear. Your child may be having trouble with their vision if they:

Report double vision
Rub their eyes frequently
Close or cover one eye
Have a short attention span
Complain about being tired
Avoid reading or losing their place while reading
Have difficulty remembering what they read

Myopia & Myopia Control Methods

Myopia (nearsightedness) makes distant objects blurry and often worsens as children grow. It’s a common refractive error that can affect children as young as 6 or 7 years old. Nearsightedness can be corrected with traditional glasses, but our goal is to prevent your child’s myopia from worsening using our myopia control methods.

High myopia can increase the risk of future complications. Using specialized glasses and contact lenses, we can slow your child’s myopia progression.

We also offer vision therapy, a structured program designed to strengthen eye coordination, tracking, and focus. Early intervention helps protect long-term vision and supports healthy eyesight.

Managing Strabismus & Amblyopia

Strabismus (crossed eyes) and amblyopia (lazy eye) are common vision conditions that can affect your child’s eye development. Strabismus occurs when the eyes are misaligned, causing one to turn in, out, up, or down.

This can lead to double vision and interfere with depth perception. If left untreated, it can cause amblyopia, where one eye has significantly weaker vision than the other. Amblyopia often develops when one eye is not used properly, leading to poor vision in that eye. If not treated early, it can result in permanent vision loss.

The good news is that both conditions are treatable when caught early, with options such as corrective glasses, vision therapy, or surgery.

Book Your Child’s Eye Exam

Healthy vision is essential for your child’s growth and development. Don’t wait—catch any potential issues early so that they have the clear sight they need to thrive. Contact us to schedule an eye exam today and help set them up for a bright, clear future!

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