It might not occur to you to bring your six-month-old child in for an eye exam. To protect their health and ensure they’re developing correctly, it is recommended that they visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist by this age. Here are a few reasons to make the appointment and get your child the best eye care available.

The Benefits of Eye Doctor Visits for Your Child

1. Check Eye Development

Your child is growing quickly and it’s important to ensure they’re growing right. By the age of six months, their vision will be much clearer than at birth. They will have developed more accurate depth perception and sensitive color vision almost as good as an adult’s. Your eye doctor will check your child’s eyes for any sign of illnesses or congenital defects which may impact their vision now or in the future. By having your child evaluated now, you’ll know exactly what to keep an eye on as they get older—or, you’ll be reassured that your child has no vision problems to speak of.

2. Plan Early Intervention

For some vision problems, starting treatment young can entirely eliminate the issue. For example, if your child has a “lazy eye,” early training with an eye patch can strengthen it. This is much more difficult to do later in life, so the earlier you start, the better your child’s prognosis. And if your child needs prescription lenses, getting them a pair of kids’ glasses now will also help in other areas of their development, such as recognizing facial expressions and practicing fine motor skills.

3. Screen for Illnesses

In some rare cases, even very young children may be afflicted with eye cancers including retinoblastoma. About 200 to 300 new cases in children are diagnosed each year in America, comprising 2% of cancers diagnosed before age 15. Because your child cannot tell you about problems with their vision, early examination is the very best chance you have to detect and prevent this disease. Eye cancer can threaten vision and overall health, but there are many treatment options if it is detected early.

Once your child has had an eye exam, choose Mowen Opticians in Waynesboro, VA, to provide their glasses. With a wide range of both everyday glasses and sportswear from a number of brands, they offer quality, selection, and reliability. To arrange a visit, call (540) 943-3113 or get in touch online.