Our nearly-four-year-old has the biggest, most beautiful eyes we’ve ever seen and we’d like them to stay that way. Thankfully, Dr. Michael Rotholz was available to give us the goods on our little man’s gazers.
(Ed. Note: Optometrists are our most favourite doctors, because we’re really keen on passing tests. We also think that this is a great time of year to squeeze in those appointments we keep putting off.)
At what age should my child first have his eyes checked by an optometrist?
The first eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist should be by three years old. If there is any family history of: strabismus (eye turn), amlyopia ("squint") or if there is any concern in the first months of life of a vision or eye health issue, then sooner is better.
For children under three years of age, it is important to ask whether the doctor examines kids that young when booking, as there is some different equipment used to test infants and young toddlers that not every practitioner has. Humans are born with an under-developed visual system and much of the development takes place after birth. We learn to focus & co-ordinate the movements of the two eyes, as well as learning to understand shapes, and colours, textures, depth, etc. If there is a problem with one or both of the eyes that interferes with the development, then the visual system may not "learn" to see properly.
Given that the infant would not know any different and is not verbal, the parent would not know of the problem. If the issue is not addressed early enough, there is a chance that "perfect vision" might never be attainable even with correction. This is why early, routine, annual eye examinations are so important.
With a strong focus maintaining eye health and vision, the importance of regular eye examinations (especially for children) and on contact lenses, Dr. Michael Rotholz has been practicing optometry for over a decade. He’s often quoted in magazine and newspaper pieces on vision health and will be featured on an upcoming episode of Slice Network’s Doctor in the House.