Children should have their first eye exam around six months of age, another around age three, and one more right before kindergarten — then regular exams throughout their school years. It sounds early, but a child’s vision is developing fast, and small problems are far easier to correct when caught young.
Here is the tricky part: kids almost never tell you they cannot see well, because they assume everyone sees the world the way they do. They have no comparison group. A child who has always seen a fuzzy chalkboard simply thinks chalkboards are fuzzy. Early exams catch issues like amblyopia (“lazy eye”) and significant focusing errors during the window when treatment works best.
Watch for squinting, sitting very close to the TV, holding books or tablets right up to the nose, frequent eye rubbing, headaches, losing their place while reading, or avoiding reading altogether. Any of these is a good reason to schedule a visit.
And yes, we examine babies and toddlers who cannot read a letter chart. We have age-appropriate tools that let us assess vision and eye health without a single “cover your left eye and read line four.”
School vision screenings are helpful, but they are brief and can miss a lot. Many children pass a screening and still have a vision problem affecting their learning. A comprehensive exam at Siegmund Eye Care is the thorough version — especially valuable as a back-to-school checkup.
Ideally, yes. Screenings catch some issues but miss others, including focusing and eye-teaming problems that affect reading. A full exam gives you the complete picture.
Absolutely. We use objective tests and specialized tools to evaluate an infant’s eye health and development — no reading or talking required.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Jason Siegmund, OD, a board-certified optometric physician at Siegmund Eye Care in Myrtle Beach.
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