We work with a lot of parents at Washington Vision Therapy Center. We know you love your kids. You want them to have the best chance possible of succeeding in life. We think you’ll agree with us that good health and good vision is a big part of that. 

So when is the correct time to have your baby’s first eye exam?

We recommend having your baby’s eyes checked by an eye doctor between six months of age and 1 year. Because preventive treatment is very time sensitive, we recommend not delaying this. Often the earlier we find a condition the easier it is to treat.

Some conditions that we frequently see in babies are the conditions of lazy eye and crossed eyes. The medical term associated with these is Amblyopia which is the leading cause of vision loss in children.  As many as 1 in 20 children have this condition. Early treatment with patching and vision therapy is key to reverse the effects of this condition. Addressing these issues when the child is older will likely be more difficult. So why wait? 

Other considerations for having your child’s eyes checked

In determining the urgency of having your child’s eyes checked, you may also find it helpful to consider your family’s history. Many vision conditions are hereditary, and therefore, parents that had disorders when they were young are likely to have children that struggle with the same conditions. 

In many cases, we’ve noticed that parents seem to have a sixth-sense for the well-being of their kids. If you sense that something isn’t right with your child’s vision, trust your gut! Watch for clues, consult with others, and if you’re still worried, please know that we will be more than happy to look at your child. 

We consider ourselves experts at working with children and babies. When you come in for your child’s eye exam, we will be happy to answer your questions and make sure your child is on a path to good, healthy vision.