Dr. Ledoux and Dr. Johnson are experienced in providing eye exams for children of all ages and abilities!
A comprehensive eye exam includes measurement of vision (tailored to the age and capabilities of the child), assessment of eye alignment and eye movements, measurement of refractive error (to determine if an eyeglass prescription is needed) and evaluation of the health of the outside and inside of the eye. In order to assess the health of the inside of the eye, eye drops must be used to dilate the pupils. Eye drops also help the doctor assess the refractive error more accurately in children. The eye drops do blur the vision (particularly near vision) but this resolves by 3-4 hours after they have been placed. In some children, although their near vision will return to normal, you may notice their pupils remain at least partly dilated for even a day or two after the drops were placed.
Eye exams for young children often rely on objective measurements rather than rely on subjective responses from the child. For example, we can use an instrument called a retinoscope to measure the refractive error (the need for an eye glass prescription) by observing the light reflex in the eye and how it changes with different powers of lenses. Eye exams for young children also focus on conditions that are most likely to affect children. Pediatric eye exams can be fun and tailored to the developmental abilities of your child, which was the goal of our office when we designed it. If you have specific concerns about the exam or have questions that will help prepare your child for the exam, please do not hesitate to give our office a call in advance of the appointment.