Children’s Eye Exams | Kansas City, MO

The Sooner We Look, the Better

Your child’s eyes develop throughout their entire adolescent years, until about age 20. During this time, eye complications could arise that may affect your child’s learning abilities and behavior. A comprehensive eye exam allows us to detect potential problems and correct visual impairments while your child’s eyes continue to develop.

Littlefield Eye Associates performs eye exams for children ages 5 and older. We recommend that your child have at least 1 eye exam per year between the ages of 5 and 17, as per the recommendations set out by the American Optometric Association.

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What Happens During a Child’s Eye Exam?

It can be a struggle to corral your kids, get them out of bed, fed, and off to school. We don’t want their visit to the eye doctor to be a part of that. Our doctors have considerable experience with children. Each child receives our full attention, and we have clever questions to elicit the responses we need to learn if they’ve been experiencing vision problems.

To start the appointment, we’ll discuss your family’s medical history and whether your little one has any current medical conditions. Some eye issues can be hereditary, so learning the complete picture of your child’s health before testing helps us immensely.

Then, in the exam, we’ll diligently lead your child through the following assessments:

Visual acuity test to determine the sharpness and clarity of vision
Eye movement skills and how well the eyes align
Vision at all distances
Measure the growth and function of the visual system

Upon reviewing the results of your child’s eye exam, we may recommend further testing or solutions like myopia control. To fill prescription glasses, we’ll send you to our optical center, where your kid can pick their favorite frames.

Children’s Eye Issues

Some eye diseases and conditions commonly affect children and teenagers. With routine eye exams, we use our high-end diagnostic methods to detect tell-tale signs and treat or manage the issue appropriately. In some cases, we can minimize the risk of vision loss or permanent damage.

Click the items in the list to read about the most common pediatric eye issues.

Refractive Errors

Refractive errors impact distance vision as a result of light improperly refracting on the retina due to complications in eye development. Your child could have myopia (nearsightedness), which makes distant objects appear blurry. If they have trouble focusing on near objects, they may have hyperopia (farsightedness). Then, there’s astigmatism, which causes blurry vision both near and far.

All of these refractive errors can be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

Amblyopia (lazy eye) develops when there’s a communication breakdown between the brain and one eye. A child could be born with this eye condition, or it could emerge during childhood. Risk factors include: being born prematurely, being smaller than average at birth, and having developmental impairments.

Some tell-tale signs of amblyopia include squinting, shutting one eye, and tilting their head to see better. We’ll assess all children for amblyopia during an eye exam.

Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)

Strabismus (crossed eyes), which emerges due to poor eye muscle control and coordination. This condition stems from the eye muscles not working together properly, causing the eyes to point in different directions.

Since the brain controls these muscles, strabismus should be treated as early as possible in case there are underlying issues.

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

Conjunctivitis (pink eye), is an inflammation or infection on the inner lining of the eyelid. This is especially common among school-aged children, as some types of the condition are easily passed around. There are several types of pink eye, which could be caused by a virus, bacteria, allergies, or exposure to chemicals.

Pink eye symptoms may appear in one or both eyes. They can include redness, itchiness, and irritation. A child may also have difficulty opening their eyes due to crust buildup.

Book Your Child’s Eye Exam Today

If you are concerned that your child has a visual impairment or it’s time for their eye exam, contact us to book an appointment. You and your child are in capable hands at Littlefield Eye Associates.

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