Why does my child need to have an eye exam?
“25% of students in grades K-6 have visual problems that are serious enough to impede learning.”
“School vision screenings, such as one using a Snellen eyechart, detect only 20-30% of vision problems in schools. They can miss more than they find.”
“It is estimated that 80% of children with a learning disability have an undiagnosed vision problem.”
A child who can see objects in the distance doesn’t necessarily have healthy eyes that are ready for reading and learning. And while clear vision is important, it is only one of the many visual skills required to be able to read and learn.
Good vision requires your eyes, visual pathways, and brain to all work together. When they don’t, even a person with “perfect eyesight” can have difficulty reading, writing and processing information.
Visual acuity (ie 20/20) is a measure of the precision or clarity of a person’s vision and is tested by having a patient read a line of letters on an eye chart. This test does not require the same amount and types of eye movements that reading does, so it cannot be used to determine whether a child has the visual skills necessary to read.
New Children's Patient Forms
Why does my child need to have an eye exam?
Because the visual system is dynamic, changing every year, it is essential to assess that the eyes are developing properly as the patient grows.
We have specific testing for your child's annual exam that is age-appropriate and skill level-appropriate to assess the entire visual system.
- Depth Perception
- Eye Alignment
- Near Convergence
- Pupil Testing
- Eye Muscle Testing
- Visual Acuity
- Peripheral Vision
- Accommodations
- Color Vision
- Retinoscopy/Refraction
- Eye Health Evaluation
- Eye Pressure Evaluation
There are both objective and subjective ways to test the eyes, so don’t worry, we don’t need to rely on the patient’s responses for most of the tests!
InfantSEE
As you think about your child’s developmental milestones, remember it is never too early to consider your child’s eye health. Because vision plays a major role in infant development, visual health must be checked regularly. In fact, the American Optometric Association recommends that children receive their first comprehensive eye assessment at six months of age.
The doctors of The Children’s Vision Center at Red Bank Eye look forward to helping you make the most of your child’s future. We participate as volunteers in InfantSEE™.We are pleased to provide your child’s first eye assessment at no charge to you!
An InfantSEE™ eye assessment is not a substitute for the well infant care that he/she receives at your pediatrician’s office; however, it is something we feel should be a part of the infant wellness routine, between the ages of 6-12 months.
The American Optometric Association and the Vision Care Institute of Johnson and Johnson Vision Care, Inc, have partnered to create InfantSEE™, a no-cost public health program developed to provide professional eye care for infants nation-wide.
A Family You Can Trust.
Why should you trust our family with
your family’s vision?
Our office has been in Red Bank for over 75 years! We will be here to grow up with your children and to grow old together with you. Our private practice location ensures that you will receive individualized attention in a familiar and comfortable environment. Our doctors are experts in ocular health and disease, and reserve extra time for every new patient exam to get to know you. You won’t leave until we answer every question that you have about your eye health.
Myopia Epidemic
Now considered a major health concern, myopia (nearsightedness) has increased by 66% in the United States since 1971. Onset can begin as early as age 6, and early detection is the key to prevention and reduction of potentially serious complications later in life.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNTREATED MYOPIA
When left undiagnosed and untreated, myopia (nearsightedness) can lead to a host of complications, such as reduced ability to learn, and later in life:
• Cataracts tend to develop sooner in nearsighted eyes.
• Nearsighted people are 2 to 3 times more likely to get glaucoma.
• Myopia increases the risk of retinal detachment.
• An eye care professional, such as an optometrist or ophthalmologist, can perform a simple examination to determine if the vision issues you’re experiencing are caused by myopia — and put a treatment plan in place that may prevent further complications associated with myopia.
Our goal is to correct your vision by eliminating daytime use of eyeglasses or contact lenses. In the FDA trials for Paragon CRT® contact lenses, more than 90% were able to see 20/40 or better (the legal vision requirement for driving without glasses in most states).
When worn overnight, Paragon CRT® contact lenses gently corrects the curvature of the cornea, resulting in a corneal shape that focuses light correctly onto the retina. When removed in the morning, distant objects will come back into focus and patients can see clearly without the use of glasses or daytime contacts.