When Should I Take My Child For an Eye Exam?
Knowing when to take your child for an eye exam can help identify potential issues early and provide your optometrist with an opportunity to correct them.
The following timeline is recommended by The Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO), but your optometrist may recommend more frequent eye exams based on your child’s eye health.
Your child should have a red reflex test when they are born and should have their first eye exam between 6 and 9 months.
Children should have their second eye exam between 2 and 5 years old. Conditions like myopia, amblyopia, and strabismus all have the potential to develop at this age, so it is important to make sure your child’s vision is developing as expected.
Your child’s next eye exam should happen around 6 years old or before their first day of elementary school. This exam helps to determine if their vision is developing normally and ensure they do not have any conditions that could prevent them from succeeding in school.