Signs It’s Time to Take Your Child to the Eye Doctor

I recently ran across a surprising statistic: About 35 percent of preschoolers in the United States have have nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness or astigmatism, according to All About Vision.

My daughter found out at a very young age the she was going to be in glasses for a long time. She's had them on since she was barely two, so this is something my family has had to think about from time to time.

As parents, we can get pretty busy running our kids to this activity or that appointment, but vision care isn't something to let fall through the cracks. Here are some tips on timing your kids' trips to an optometrist or ophthalmologist, courtesy of my friends at Sterling Optical:

1) Are they near a key milestone? All About Vision reports: "According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), infants should have their first comprehensive eye exam at 6 months of age. Children then should have additional eye exams at age 3, and just before they enter the first grade — at about age 5 or 6." Click here for info on what to expect during your baby's first eye exam and details on infant vision development.

2) Do they already wear glasses or contacts? Your child should have a vision exam (not just a brief screening at school) every two years if they do not need glasses or contacts and every year if they do, according to All About Vision. (Of course, if your doctor suggests a different schedule, you should listen to your doctor.)

3) Have they recently suffered concussions? Many of the concussions reported happen in children age 11 to 17, and concussed children often experience convergence insufficiency (their "eyes do not work together when trying to focus on a nearby object,") according to the American Optometric Association.

Besides regular eye exams, parents also should consider the impact of "screen time," sports and damaging UV rays, according to the American Optometric Association. Playing outside is an important way for children to "exercise" their distance vision, but sunglasses or clear lenses that filter out UV rays can protect children from eye problems associated with UV exposure. Conversely, too much time spent reading, playing video games and working at a computer can encourage near-sightedness.

That all-important outside play comes with additional safety guidelines. Protective sports glasses (including prescriptive protective wear) can help your child avoid being one of the 70,000 emergency room visits a year for childhood eye injures.

Sterling Optical can help you stay on top of it all, from fun and comfortable frames and protective glasses your kids will WANT to wear to special offers. Click here to learn about Sterling Optical's current offers.