Pediatric Eye Care
Support your child’s highest potential.
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Support your child’s highest potential.
Healthy vision is a vital part of your child’s overall well-being.
At D'Allura Eye Care, we welcome children of all ages – including those as young as a few months old – and we’re happy to take a closer look at any vision issue or concern that’s on your mind. Both Dr. D’Alluras have had extra experience with young patients, having done some extra rotations in pediatrics and also in vision problems that involve both eyes working together.
It can be challenging to identify vision problems in children, as symptoms are not always obvious. While some signs—such as squinting or holding reading material very close—are more noticeable, many early indicators can be subtle and may even be mistaken for learning or behavioral issues. If a child is experiencing a vision problem, they may avoid activities that require near focus, such as reading, coloring, or completing puzzles. They might take longer to complete tasks or have difficulty understanding instructions, and may frequently complain of eye strain, fatigue, or headaches. Additional signs can include difficulty maintaining attention, easily becoming distracted, covering one eye or tilting the head when focusing, increased sensitivity to light, and challenges with coordination.
Vision can be affected by a wide range of factors, including the shape of the eye, how the eyes and brain work together, and various medical conditions. The encouraging news is that most eye conditions can be accurately diagnosed and effectively managed with appropriate care.
Among the more common conditions are those related to eye alignment and development. Strabismus refers to a misalignment of the eyes, often described as “crossed eyes,” where the eyes do not work together properly. Amblyopia, commonly known as “lazy eye,” occurs when vision in one eye does not develop adequately, typically during early childhood. It is more frequently seen in children who were born prematurely or with low birth weight.
Refractive errors are another common group of vision problems, caused by irregularities in the shape of the eye or lens, resulting in blurred vision at varying distances. These conditions are usually straightforward to correct with glasses or contact lenses. The main types include myopia (nearsightedness), where distant objects appear blurred; hyperopia (farsightedness), which affects near vision; and astigmatism, where vision is distorted or blurred at all distances due to an irregularly shaped cornea or lens.
Ensuring your child receives regular comprehensive eye examinations is an important step in supporting their overall health, development, and readiness to learn. Many parents are unaware that school vision screenings are not a substitute for a full eye examination, as they may only assess basic distance vision and can miss more complex issues. Even children with 20/20 vision may have underlying problems that only a qualified eye care professional can detect.
Newborns typically undergo an initial eye assessment before leaving the hospital. Following this, major medical organizations recommend that children receive comprehensive eye examinations at key developmental stages: between 6 and 12 months of age, again at around 3 years old, and then every one to two years throughout their school years.