Children’s Eye Exams | NE Florida

Preparing for a Future of Healthy Eyesight

Your child’s eyes are constantly growing and changing. As their vision develops, it’s important to bring them in for comprehensive eye exams to rule out any possible vision or developmental problems, such as nearsightedness or lazy eye.

It’s normal for children to be nervous before their first eye exam. Our team is experienced in working with children and can help put your child at ease. And if they need glasses, our optical department is here to help match them with frames that fit great and look cool, too!

Set your child up for success through regular eye exams. Book their appointment today.

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When Does My Child Need an Eye Exam?

We begin assessing children’s eyesight around age 5, when they begin learning to read. This is a critical time to book an eye exam, as vision problems such as nearsightedness (myopia) can greatly affect their success in school.

After their first exam, we recommend that children attend annual eye exams to monitor their visual development and check for any emerging refractive errors, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, which could impact their learning.

What to Expect During Your Child’s Eye Exam

It’s important to us that your child feels comfortable during their exam. Our eye doctors and technicians are warm, welcoming, and experienced in working with children. We can adjust our process and will keep the appointment moving at a pace that’s comfortable for your child.

If it makes your child feel more comfortable, we can complete your exam first. That way, your child can watch the pre-testing devices, and we can explain the different cameras and tests that we use. And at the end of their exam, they can select a prize from our treasure box!

Our children’s eye exams include digital imaging, checking the physical health of their eyes, assessing their vision, verifying their prescription, and evaluating how well their eyes work together. If your child needs glasses, we’ll also guide them through the selection process and find frames they love.

Signs of Vision Problems to Watch For

Children often have difficulty expressing vision problems, either because they lack the vocabulary to articulate their experience or because they do not have a reference point for clear vision and think everyone sees the way they do.

Vision problems in children can present a variety of symptoms, some of which you might not immediately connect to their vision. While routine, comprehensive eye exams remain the most reliable way to assess for vision difficulties, there are some signs and symptoms you can watch for at home, including:

Closing or covering one eye to read
Rubbing their eyes frequently
Head tilting or squinting
Holds things very close to their face
Frequent complaints of headaches
Short attention span, especially for near work such as reading, Lego, and coloring
Difficulty learning to read or to learn the alphabet

Children with vision problems can be misdiagnosed with behavioral problems such as ADHD or learning difficulties such as dyslexia, as they have overlapping symptoms. It is important for your child to have their vision assessed before receiving a diagnosis. Not only can this rule out a vision problem, but it can also make their treatment and management more effective if a vision problem is also at play.

Common Vision Problems We Manage

We screen all children for common vision problems that may affect their visual development. From refractive errors, which affect how light focuses in their eyes and can cause blurry vision, to developmental concerns like strabismus and amblyopia, we’re here to monitor their vision through all stages of development.

If we notice a vision problem during a comprehensive eye exam, we’ll work with you to determine next steps. That may include a prescription for glasses, a discussion about myopia management, or a referral to a vision therapist.

Uncorrected refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism can make school and homework more difficult for your child.

We assess their visual acuity and determine if they need glasses to correct their vision.

Additionally, we may recommend myopia management for nearsighted children. During childhood, myopia is typically progressive, meaning it continues to worsen over time. Myopia management helps to slow this progression of myopia, helping to preserve your child’s eyesight and prevent future complications related to high myopia.

Strabismus, or crossed eyes, occurs when both eyes do not look in the same direction at the same time. This can be caused by poor eye muscle control or significant farsightedness.

It usually occurs in infants or young children, though older children and adults can develop it as well. Strabismus requires intervention through prescription eyewear that may include prism lenses and possibly vision therapy.

We can thoroughly assess your child’s vision to make sure their eyes are moving well together and diagnose and treat strabismus if necessary.

Amblyopia, or lazy eye, typically develops by the age of six. In children who have a significant difference in near or farsightedness between each eye or in children with strabismus, amblyopia can occur. Over time, the connection between the affected eye and the brain weakens, resulting in amblyopia.

While lazy eye may be noticeable, amblyopia can also be subtle. Watch for signs that your child is favoring one eye over the other, or has a tendency to bump into objects on one side. Treatments include prescription glasses, patching their stronger eye to strengthen the connection between the brain and the amblyopic eye.

Book Your Child’s Eye Exam Today

We’re here to support your child’s healthy visual development and help them achieve success in school, sports, and other activities. Our friendly team will help make your child’s eye exam a positive experience and can provide tips to encourage reluctant kids to love their glasses.

Help your child see clearly now and in the future with comprehensive eye exams. Book their appointment today.

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Our Services

Visit Our Locations

San Marco Location

Find us in the San Marco area, near the intersection of Hendricks Avenue and Atlantic Boulevard. We’re next door to Crumbl Cookie and the Publix parking garage.

2039 Hendricks Ave, Unit 213
Jacksonville, FL 32207

Hours of Operation

Monday:

8 AM – 5 PM

Tuesday:

8 AM – 5 PM

Wednesday:

8 AM – 5 PM

Thursday:

8 AM – 5 PM

Friday:

8 AM – 5 PM

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

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CR 210 Location

Find us near the Watson Realty building on Hampton Point Drive. We’re across Old Country Road from the Cimarrone Golf Club. Plenty of free parking is available.