Children's Vision
Did you know that 1 out of every 10 children is at risk from undiagnosed vision problems? Left untreated, these problems can worsen and cause serious, permanent damage. Vision problems can also affect a child's learning ability, personality, and overall experience in school. The best way for you to correct these problems is through early detection and treatment. At Primary EyeCare, we offer complete comprehensive and preventative children's eye exams, along with corrective Vision Therapy programs. All of our doctors are InfantSee certified providers, providing them with the skills and experience necessary to detect vision problems early on, before they develop into more serious eye conditions.
As a parent, there is no one more concerned about your child's eyes than you. Therefore it is essential that you have your child screened for eye problems at a young age and on a consistent and regular basis. The general guidelines for children's eye screenings are as follows:
- At 6 - 12 months of age
- At 2 or 3 years of age
- Before entering school (5 or 6 years of age)
- And each year thereafter
Likewise, if you notice your child do any of the following, contact us today to schedule a complete eye exam:
- Redness or tearing of the eye
- Frequent squinting
- Continually rubbing one or both eyes
- Covering or closing one eye to see
- Tilting their head from side to side
- There is a family history of amblyopia, also known as lazy eye
What is Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)?
Amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye, is the eye condition noted by reduced vision not correctable by glasses or contact lenses and is not due to any eye disease. The brain, for some reason, does not fully acknowledge the images seen by the amblyopic eye. This almost always affects only one eye but may manifest with reduction of vision in both eyes. It is estimated that three percent of children under six have some form of amblyopia.
Treatment of Amblyopia
Early treatment is usually simple, employing glasses, drops, vision therapy, and/or eye patching. While detection and correction before the age of two is considered to offer the best outcomes, recent scientific research has disproven the long held belief that children over seven years old can not be successfully treated. See a press release at National Institutes of Health -- National Eye Institute.
InfantSEE
InfantSee is a no-cost public health program that was developed to provide professional eye care for infants 6 - 12 months of age. Through InfantSee, certified optometrist Dr. Hoppe will provide your infant with a one-time comprehensive eye assessment within their first year of life. The InfantSee program offers early detection of potential eye and vision problems at no cost to you.
For additional information on the program, please contact Primary EyeCare at 320.587.4744 or visit www.InfantSee.org