Developmental
eye examinations

Paediatric eye examinations (also known as developmental or behavioural eye examinations) are performed to assess whether your child’s visual development is at a level appropriate for his/her age.

Developmental eye tests and examinations

When should my child have his/her first eye exam?

Infants should receive a comprehensive baseline eye exam between the ages of 6 and 12 months. During the first year of life the eye undergoes rapid and profound changes (known as the critical period for vision development) and is therefore susceptible to anything that may interfere with normal development.

Preschoolers

Preschoolers should receive at least one comprehensive eye exam between the ages of 3-5 years in order to diagnose any condition that may have long term effects. Research has shown that vision problems are associated with delayed development, poor school performance and low self-esteem. The sooner vision problems are identified and addressed, the better the outcome in childhood and beyond.

School-aged children (6 – 18 years)

School-aged children (6 – 18 years) should receive a comprehensive eye exam before starting grade one and annually thereafter. Certain visual skills are crucial in order to function optimally in a classroom, which is a visually demanding space. Children need to be able to copy from the board (accommodative skills), read for prolonged periods (maintain near accommodation as well as convergent eye position) as well as read fluently and efficiently without skipping or rereading words (tracking/oculomotor skills). All of this needs to be done while listening to their teacher and ignoring any other distractions that may be occurring!

During your child’s examination we will evaluate all the skills necessary to be ready for school. We are also affiliated with the Stark Griffin Dyslexia Academy (SGDA) and can therefore perform dyslexia assessments and make recommendations regarding accommodations as well as various therapy options.