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$"When should kids have their eyes checked?" One of the most common questions I get and appropriate since this month is Children's Eye Health and Safety Month. Thankfully, my daughter, who is just so extra, was happy to pose!⠀ --⠀ Eye exams are not like kids dental visits - you don't have to bring your kid into see their pediatric ophthalmologist or optometrist as a part of their routine care. The pediatrician should be checking the eyes at the well baby visits starting as a newborn. At the 3 year old visit, kids should be able to read an eye chart and get better than 20/50. And, kids don't need to know their letters to have their vision checked. Many pediatricians actually have great vision screening devices which measure for glasses prescription (not as accurately as a cycloplegic refraction which is what your peds ophthalmologist or optom would do, but still close) and assess the corneal light reflex to check for a lazy eye. Any child that fails the vision screening guidelines gets referred to an eye doctor. ⠀ --⠀ If there is a family history of eye disorders - such as glasses before age 6, lazy eye, juvenile glaucoma or any particular eye concerns, then I always tell parents to bring their child in earlier. ⠀ --⠀ I linked to a blog post I wrote a few years ago with the details of a kids eye exam. I find that kids are less anxious if they know what to expect! #pediatricophthalmology #pediatrics #visioncare #eyechart #thisgirlisextra$