Children's Eye Exams

The eye doctor will ask you about your child’s medical history before their first eye exam. Be ready to provide information including:

• Medications
• Medical conditions
• Allergies
• Family medical history
• Your child’s primary care physician

If your child wears glasses or contacts, bring them to the appointment. Let the optometrist know if you have any concerns about your child’s eyes or vision, or if you’ve noticed any symptoms such as watery eyes, frequent headaches, or squinting.

If your child is nervous about getting an eye exam there are things you can do to reduce anxiety and have a more enjoyable visit.

Tell your child when you schedule their first eye exam. It can help to visit the eye clinic ahead of time so they’re already familiar with the location on the day of the appointment. You can also bring your child along when you get an eye exam to show them it’s painless and important for everyone to do.

Explain the basics of an eye exam in plain language. Tell them they’ll be asked to look at different shapes and pictures, and that the doctor will shine a light to look at their eyes.

Encourage your child to ask questions. If you don’t have the answer, let them know they can ask the eye doctor questions during the exam. Your child can also bring along a favorite toy or stuffed animal to hold.

The American Optometric Association recommends dilating a patient’s eyes every year as part of a comprehensive eye exam. Is it necessary? Absolutely. Dilating drops are safe and effective for a child of any age.

However, with our practice, we now take a digital image, with our state-of-the-art Optos® system, which can provide us with more than a 200-degree field of view of the back of the eye. Optomap® retinal exams don't necessarily replace dilation. If the eye doctor finds something in the image, a dilated eye exam may be required for further evaluation.

Most common side effects of dilating drops include: light sensitivity, enlargement of the pupil, and blurry vision. These side effects typically last 4-6 hours, depending on the type and concentration of the dilation drops used.

If you have any other questions about the tests done during a pediatric eye exam, please contact your Wisconsin Vision. Our doctors of optometry and trained opticians are happy to help.