Kids Eye Exams and Sunglasses

Kids love to explore the world around them and one of the best ways for them to do that is through sight! 80% of our world is perceived through sight and one way to make sure your child is seeing the best is to have them seen for a comprehensive eye exam. A child’s eyes should first be checked between 6-12 months of age, again by the age of 3, and for sure before they enter TK/Kindergarten. That way you know for sure your child is seeing the best he or she can as they start their educational journey through school. A comprehensive eye exam consists of refraction and dilating the eyes. The refraction checks to see if there might be a prescription needed for glasses. The dilation allows our doctors to get a good look inside the eye to assess the health, it’s like opening the window to see the eye better. Summer is the perfect time to get your child’s eye exam scheduled before school starts!

And as we’re talking about summer, no better time to talk about the importance of sunglasses. “Hey there, where are your sunnies?!” is what I say to my girls all the time! I’m that mom (before I started working at the eye clinic) that made sure my girls had good sunglasses to wear outside to protect their eyes. I was a swimmer and a lifeguard once upon a time and spent many hours looking and working around water and I couldn’t have done it without my sunglasses. They helped reduce the glare of the sun bouncing off the water so I could see clearly, kept the harmful rays from the sun from doing damage to my eyes, and kept the delicate skin around my eyes protected from sun damage that can lead to skin cancer.

Sunglasses do SO many things for our eyes besides making us look fashionable! They protect our eyes from a lot of health issues that are known with eyes such as macular degeneration and cataracts along with keeping objects and debris out of our eyes when outside. The benefits we receive from them when playing sports are big as they cut down on glare and allow us to see clearly all around. Start your kiddos young with a good pair of sunglasses and while you’re at it, make sure to treat yourself and enjoy the benefits that sunglasses offer year-round!