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Your Child's First Eye Appointment
When Should a Toddler See the Eye Doctor?
By Melinda Copp
"A full exam includes a complete eye, medical and family history," says Richard Hertle, chief of opthalmology at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. "Each exam includes a vision check, evaluation of the external and internal parts of the eye and check for eye muscle function and the need for glasses."
However, the doctor will have to use a different approach for your toddler's exam than for an older child or adult. Rather than asking your little one to read letters from a card, the doctor will have to interpret your child's eye responses.
"The patient doesn't answer questions about which lens looks better, but instead the doctor uses various tests to determine the eye's vision and health by measuring results, such as types of reflections of light off the front of the eye or from within the pupil," Jens says. "The doctor and staff can use special vision testing tools for verbal toddlers, such as pictures, rather than eye charts, to make the accuracy of the results even greater."
The doctor will also dilate your toddler's pupils to check the inside of the eyes, the retina and the crystalline lens. You can prepare your child for the exam by making the appointment at a time of day when your child is in a good mood, talking to your little one about what the exam will entail, playing with a small light like the one the doctor will use and reassuring your toddler that this kind of doctor doesn't give shots.