Your Child’s Future Depends on Good Vision Health

Vision is a major part of a child’s developmental process. After all, kids need their eyesight to learn—even beyond the classroom. In fact, 80% of what kids learn is visual. But when your kids are too young to tell you what they see, how do you know they need help?

Because young kids can’t communicate the way adults can, we use different methods to figure out how your child sees the world. Our exam process checks your child’s visual acuity, eye coordination, prescription, and eye health, all while keeping them engaged and at ease.

Book Your Child's Eye Exam

When to Bring Your Child in for an Eye Exam

Babies should have their first eye exam when they reach 6 months old—sooner if there are any concerns.

Once your kids are in school, they’ll need to start going for yearly eye exams. This way, we can keep tabs on their vision quality and eye health, keep any prescriptions up to date, and help make sure their eyes won’t hold them back in school.And it’s free to you! OHIP pays for children and young adult eye exams until the age of 20, so there’s no reason to delay booking your child’s eye next appointment.

Signs Your Child Is Having Vision Trouble

Your child may not directly tell you they’re having issues with their vision. After all, they might not realize what they’re experiencing is different from anybody else.

Here are some signs that could be related to your child having a vision problem:

Frequent eye rubbing
Complaints of being tired
Squinting
Sitting very close to a screen
Short attention span or seeming distracted
Covering one eye
Tiling their head to the side
Avoiding reading, drawing, or colouring
Inability to remember what they recently read
Losing their spot while reading

Eye Care Services Especially for Children

At In Focus Eyecare, we’ve made pediatric eye care a special focus, including myopia control, the Eye See… Eye Learn program, and referrals to a network of specialists if necessary.

Myopia Control (Nearsightedness)

Myopia is very common. Nearly 30% of Canadians are nearsighted, and it’s estimated that about half the world could be nearsighted by 2050. Myopia typically begins in childhood and can worsen until about age 20.

But the bright side is that your child doesn’t need to deal with thicker lenses year after year. Several treatments can slow the progression of myopia.

Learn about myopia control.

Eye See…Eye Learn®

Eye See…Eye Learn® is a wonderful program designed to catch and correct vision problems in junior kindergarten students. The program provides free exams and free glasses to any 4-year-old who needs them. ESEL ensures children are able to effectively learn and supports their eyesight early in their school lives. We’re proud to participate and support the program.

Pediatric Referrals

Occasionally, problems with a child’s visual system require a specialist or surgery. At In Focus Eyecare, we have a long-standing referral and communication system with top pediatric specialists.

Early intervention is vital. If you suspect any visual difficulties, eye turning, or other concerns with your child’s eyes, please call and book an exam today.

Colour Blindness

A child who can’t see all the colours of the rainbow isn’t just missing out on a pretty view—they may experience learning issues. By bringing your child for annual eye exams to help detect colour deficiency or other vision changes, you’re helping support their healthy development.

Before your next appointment, you can also have your child take a 2-minute online colour vision test.

Our Supertechs Are Here for Your Family

We’re very proud of our unique supertech program. When you bring your child to our Lakeshore Road location in Sarnia for an eye exam, they’ll be paired with one of our amazing supertechs for their whole appointment. Your supertech will escort you and your child to the exam room, gather all relevant eye and health history, and perform some preliminary tests.

Once your optometrist arrives, your supertech will assist and make notes during the exam. After the exam, your supertech will stay with you, review your child’s results on our interactive video training system, and discuss eye care options that best suit your child’s needs.

Our supertechs are here to make sure your questions are answered and that you feel confident in the level of care your family receives.

Book Your Child's Exam Today