Can You Wear Contact Lenses With Dry Eyes?
Yes, many people with dry eyes can wear contact lenses comfortably with the right strategy and lens choice. […]
Watching Over Your Child’s Vision
Children are constantly growing and developing, and their vision can change over time. A growth spurt can be exciting, but it can also come with changes to eyesight. Your child may seem clumsy or prone to falls because of growing limbs, but a vision problem may be the real cause. Vision problems can also impact education, as 80% of school learning is visual.
Kids may not tell their parents when they have vision problems because they don’t know how to express their difficulties, or they think everyone sees the way they do. Regular appointments with our eye care team can help you watch over changes in your child’s vision and eye health.
When to Book an Eye Exam for Your Child
How often your child needs an eye exam depends on their unique vision needs. For example, if your child has myopia (nearsightedness), they may need more frequent visits to update their prescription or fit new frames after a growth spurt.
The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) covers a yearly comprehensive eye exam and minor assessments for children 19 and under. The Canadian Optometry Association’s recommendations for children include:
- A first eye exam between 6–9 months old
- At least 1 eye exam between 2–5 years old
- Yearly eye exams after starting school
Signs of Vision Problems to Watch for in Children
Regular eye exams can help you safeguard your child’s sight and eye health. Undiagnosed vision problems can create obstacles to learning and development in both school and extracurricular activities. Sight and eye health are essential for developing visual skills, including hand-eye coordination, visual memory, and spatial learning.
Your child may not know how to describe their visual experience. They may think the way they see is normal. Knowing common signs and symptoms can help you detect vision changes or eye problems.
If you observe any of these signs or symptoms in your child, please contact us for an eye assessment. We can determine if your child needs support for their vision.
- Burning, itchy, or watery eyes
- Closing or covering one eye to see
- Excessive eye rubbing or blinking
- Eye turn (strabismus) or lazy eye (amblyopia)
- Frequent headaches or eye strain
- Head tilting or turning (to look at objects)
- Holding books/objects close to their face
- Squinting to see objects
- Disliking near-vision work (reading, Lego, etc.)
- Delayed learning of the alphabet
- Difficulty concentrating
- Forgetting what they just read
- Losing their place when reading
- Poor hand-eye coordination
- Poor performance in school
- Persistent word or number reversals
- Skipping words or letters when reading/writing
Safeguard Your Child’s Sight
Every child has unique eye care needs. Whether they have a million eye questions or need more time to get comfortable during a visit, we can help.
We want your kids to feel comfortable in our office. We’re passionate about vision and eye health, and we want to share that passion by educating our patients.
Regular eye exams can help safeguard your child’s sight. It’s also an opportunity for them to learn about eye care and maintain lifelong healthy vision. Book your child’s eye exam today!
Where to Find Us
At the corner of Springbank Drive and Wonderland Road, our clinic offers plenty of parking out front.
Our Address
- 585 Springbank Dr.
- London, ON N6J 1H3
Talk to Us
- Phone: 519-472-0210
- Email: info@westmounteyes.com
Hours of Operation
Monday:
8:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday:
Closed
Sunday:
Closed
Insurance Providers We Direct Bill
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