Routine eye health exams are recommended to ensure proper development of your children's visual system and to detect any functional problems early on. So when should you start bringing your kids to the optometrist?

• For low-risk children with no complaints, we recommend that they get their first eye exam by 12 months of age. This initial eye examination is looking for general ocular functions, eye movements, pediatric cataracts, eye turns and eye alignment, and general eye health.

• For higher risk or kids showing signs of vision problems, we want to see them for their first eye exam no later than 6-months of age or when you first notice a problem.

8 common risk factors for vision problems in kids include:

1. Premature birth

2. Low birth weight

3. Oxygen supplementation at birth

4. Infection of mother during pregnancy (rubella, toxoplasmosis, herpes, etc)

5. Genetic conditions, or a family history of retinoblastoma (eye cancer),

6. High refractive error (farsightedness or nearsightedness),

7. Strabismus (turned eye),

8. Amblyopia (poor vision in one eye).

Depending on what your optometrist finds during this initial eye exam, they will provide you with a general timeline for when your kid should be seen next. If everything appears to be normal and neither you or your pediatrician have any concerns, then the next eye exam should occur at age 3, and every year after that until they are done school.

FYI Eye Facts:  Eye exams for children ages 0-18 are covered by
Alberta Health Care once a year between July 1st - August 31st. 

To learn more about pediatric eye care and when to bring your kids to the eye doctor, talk to one of our optometrists during your next eye exam. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have.

Book Your Kids Next Eye Exam with Stonewire Optometry
Kingsway Mall | Edmonton | Alberta