Children often require a special touch when visiting the doctor’s office and the eye doctor is no different! Your eye doctor is sure to be friendly as well as well trained to make even the tiniest of patients feel comfortable and secure.
Our eye doctors are experienced in diagnosing and treating pediatric eye conditions like strabismus/amblyopia (also known as “lazy eye”). Your child’s vision and ocular health are our concern. Early diagnosis of any eye condition is of utmost importance but, is especially important in children.
Early diagnosis is so important that a new federal program is in place to guarantee a free eye exam to any child less than 1 year of age. This program is called InfantSEE and, of course, the doctors at our offices are involved! For more information on the InfantSEE program please visit https://www.infantsee.org/.
Preschool and school age children are also in need of a caring environment during their eye exam. An eye doctor experienced in pediatric eye care will be able to obtain the best test results and visual outcome for your child. You will find just such an environment at Coventry Eye Care Associates & Optical Center and at our Chariho Eye Care Associates & OpticalCenter.
Because learning is so closely tied to visual function, Rhode Island has recently passed a law requiring all children to have an eye exam before starting kindergarten. We would love to see your child for his or her first eye exam and continue seeing them throughout their life!
What is a “lazy eye”?
A lazy eye is when one eye is not correctable to perfect “20/20” vision. It is also referred to as amblyopia, strabismus or squint. Lazy eye develops in early childhood, usually before the age of 6 years old.
Many times, a lazy eye occurs when an eye is not straight. This type of lazy eye is visible cosmetically as an eye that turns in or out. The eye that turns in or out never creates the proper connections to the brain and good vision is not possible.
Another type of lazy eye occurs if a child needs glasses at an early age and their vision is not corrected. Because their vision is so blurry, the eye never makes the proper connections to the brain and good vision is not possible.
Thankfully, lazy eyes are preventable and treatable! The easiest solution is to get your child an eye exam at an early age! However, even if a child is over age 6, a lazy eye can be corrected. Newer research has suggested that treatment is effective up to age 12! Your eye doctor may recommend glasses, an eye patch, eye exercises or surgery to correct a lazy eye.