Children's Eye Health And Safety Month: How To Prepare Your Child For A Visit To The Pediatric Optometrist

Ways To Prepare Your Child To Visit the Pediatric Optometrist

1. Inform Your Child About The Eye Exam
   Even though some people love surprises, this is often not the case with an eye exam. Your child might be hesitant about an eye exam since it’s something they are not used to, and they might put up resistance to being asked to do certain things because they are new. Tell your child beforehand that they will need to speak with the pediatric optometrist and will have to look through some funny-looking machines. Inform them that some of the rooms might be a little bit dark so that they are not afraid when the lights go down for certain vision tests.
2. Let Them Ask Questions
   Children are naturally inquisitive and they may have a lot of questions to ask about eye exams. Before their pediatric eye exam begins, try to encourage their questions and do the best you can to answer them. It’s ok if you don’t know all of the answers, as there are lots of resources available. Use the informative articles on the Specs in the City website to help answer your child’s questions, or take a look at the Children Eye Health articles to learn about pediatric eye exams. If there are still questions that your child is asking that you can’t answer, encourage them to ask the pediatric optometrist when you get there. This will help them to understand eye health and eye exams better and give them something to look forward to on the day of the eye exam.
3. Be Present
   Not every child will need their parent in the room, but this will depend on the child’s age and personality. If they are more comfortable with a parent in the room, this is allowed. Just ensure that you are not answering questions meant for your child, even if you see them struggling to answer. The pediatric optometrist will likely be asking questions of your child as part of the eye exam and they need an honest and accurate answer from your child.
4. Ask Them How They Feel
   Some children are totally fine visiting the pediatric optometrist, others aren’t. It’s good to ask your child how they feel about their upcoming eye exam to know if they have any worries they haven’t mentioned. When you ask them, try not to use a leading question that might make them nervous. For example, ask “How are you feeling about the eye exam?” instead of “Are you nervous about your eye exam?” If your child does have any worries, try to reassure them that eye exams are quick and painless, and call the staff at Specs in the City ahead of time if your child is really nervous. Your pediatric optometrist and their team will be able to address any fears your child has.

Visit A Pediatric Optometrist In Calgary

Your child should visit the pediatric optometrist every year for a checkup. This will include an examination of their vision and an update of their prescription if needed, as well as an assessment of their eye health. At Specs in the City, our Calgary pediatric optometrists will make your child’s eye exam memorable and interesting so that they will enjoy themselves and be excited about the next visit. To book a children’s eye exam with a pediatric optometrist in Calgary, contact Specs in the City at 1-403-252-2020 or fill in the online contact form.

FAQ

Q: How much does a children’s eye exam cost?
A: Eye exams for children 18 and under are covered by Alberta Health.

Q: How is a children’s eye exam conducted?
A: Children’s eye exams are non-invasive and will not cause any discomfort. The eye doctor will examine the eye and take imaging for a more detailed look. Depending on the age of the child, the pediatric optometrist may ask them questions to answer. The parent may have to answer questions about family health history.

Q: What conditions will the pediatric optometrist test for?
A: Your pediatric optometrist will check for various eye health conditions including looking at the health of the retina, the blood vessels in the eyes, and more. The pediatric optometrist will be looking out for eye conditions that are most common in childhood, such as lazy eye. Read 5 Vision Problems A Children’s Eye Exam will Test For to learn more.