Q: When should I have my child's eyes examined?

A: Even if your child is not exhibiting any visual symptoms, he or she may have functional or health problems that are not manifesting themselves.  In other words, there could be problems with either the power or health of your child's eyes that are hidden for various reasons.  Furthermore, many experts agree that the age ending the critical neurological development period is approximately six years of age.  Therefore, Drs. Wise recommend you have your child examined before age six, sooner if any visual signs or symptoms are present.  Signs may include squinting, favoring one eye, frequent eye rubbing, droopy eyelid(s), wandering / turning eye(s), etc.. Symptoms may include blurred vision, eyestrain, double vision, headache associated with certain visual tasks, etc..  To summarize, if you believe your child may have a vision problem, especially if vision problems run in the family, bring your child in for a comprehensive examination right away.  If there are no vision problems suspected, have a "baseline" examination prior to the age of six done to uncover any vision problems which may be hidden.