Pediatric Eye Care

Eye care for children and infants

Thanks to improvements in technology over the last 20 years, we can now detect many eye and vision problems in the first months and years of life. A complete eye and vision exam can detect anything from blurred vision in an infant to astigmatism in a third grader.

Unfortunately, infants and small children don’t often recognize their own vision problems, and may not complain to parents or teachers. Vision checks at the pediatrician’s office and school screenings, even if conducted by an eye doctor, are not a substitute for a complete evaluation in an eye doctor’s office.

An infant looks at a brightly colored toy while an optometry student examines his eye

When should your child have an eye exam?

Early and often. The American Optometric Association recommends that children have their first complete vision evaluation before they are six months old, and again at ages 3 and 5.

Prepare for your child’s eye exam

Pediatric vision therapy

We offer vision therapy for all ages, and it can be especially useful for children whose eyes are still developing. The goal of vision therapy is to teach or reinforce vision in children, to improve overall vision, and to relieve symptoms such as lazy eye or problems focusing through a number of eye exercises.

Helping infants see

When planning your “well baby” checkups, don’t forget about your baby’s eyes. All of our eye care clinics participate in the American Optometric Association’s InfantSEE public health initiative, offering free eye assessments for children under one year of age. Our doctors have methods to assess vision and eye health in infants who are just days old.

Dr. Otte was fantastic with my 3 small children. Ask for the interns to play videos in the background for kids—helps them look at something.

Atwater Eye Care Center patient

Our doctors are waiting to see you.