Pediatric Eye Care at Bear Creek Eye Care

Did you know that 80% of learning is visual? This makes your child’s vision essential for their overall development and academic success. From infancy through adolescence, ensuring your child receives regular pediatric eye exams is crucial for detecting and managing potential eye conditions.

At Bear Creek Eye Care, our pediatric eye doctors provide compassionate care for your little ones, helping them see and experience the world with clarity.

Why Are Children’s Eye Exams Important?

Your child’s eyes are central to their health and development. As they grow, good vision supports everything from crawling and walking to reading and participating in sports. However, children often don’t realize they have problems with their eyesight, as they usually assume everyone sees the world the way they do.

Undiagnosed vision problems can lead to difficulties in learning, social interaction, and motor skills development. That’s why we offer tailored children’s eye exams in Wildomar to address these concerns at every stage of development.

How Often Should Your Child Get an Eye Exam?

The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends:

• 6 months to a year: The first comprehensive eye exam is necessary to assess visual development.
• 3 years: This eye exam monitors early milestones and readiness for preschool.
• Before starting school: At around 5 or 6, it’s key to ensure your child is visually prepared for academic challenges.
• Every 2 years thereafter: Regular checkups to catch changes in vision and eye health.

For children with risk factors such as developmental delays, premature birth, family history of eye issues, or who wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, more frequent exams may be recommended. Early detection and treatment can make a world of difference in your child’s quality of life.

Pediatric Eye Care for Every Age Group

Infants (Birth to 24 Months)

During the first two years of life, your child’s visual system develops rapidly. Scheduling an infant eye exam at around 6 months ensures their visual milestones are on track. At this age, our skilled pediatric eye doctors assess:

• Strabismus (crossed or misaligned eyes)
• Farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism
• Early signs of other eye conditions

Babies rely heavily on vision for exploring their environment. Any delays in visual development can affect motor skills like crawling, walking, and hand-eye coordination.

Preschoolers (2–5 Years)

At this age, toddlers and preschoolers develop fine motor skills, coordination, and perceptual abilities. During this stage, we monitor for conditions like:

• Lazy eye (Amblyopia)– Reduced vision in one eye that doesn’t have a strong connection with the brain.
• Strabismus (crossed eyes)– Misalignment of one or both eyes.
• Vision-related developmental delays in recognizing objects, letters, or numbers.

This is also the time when children explore creative activities like drawing, building, and playing sports, all of which require good vision and excellent eye coordination.

Pediatric Eye Care for Every Age Group

School-Aged Children (6–18 Years)

Vision problems in older children can significantly impact academics, sports, and social development. Many children are unable to tell that their vision is abnormal, making regular eye exams essential. Common symptoms of vision problems include:

• A short attention span
• Frequent headaches or eye strain
• Avoiding reading or losing their place often while reading
• Poor reading comprehension or double vision
• Tilting the head to see clearly or squinting

Our comprehensive exams evaluate visual acuity and visual skills which are key for reading, writing, and participating in after-school activities.

What to Expect During a Comprehensive Eye Exam

At Bear Creek Eye Care, we go beyond basic vision screenings. Our pediatric eye exams are designed to assess all aspects of your child’s visual health, including:

• Visual acuity for near and far vision
• Binocular vision or how well the eyes work together
• Focusing and tracking skills
• Peripheral/side vision and color vision
• Hand-eye coordination and depth perception

We also assess the health of the eyes and surrounding tissues to rule out underlying eye conditions or diseases. Expect us to review your child’s medical history and discuss any concerns you may have, such as if they have a family history of eye problems, their developmental milestones, or medications they’re taking.

If a vision issue is identified, we provide a range of treatment options tailored to your child’s needs, including:

• Prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses
• Referrals to a vision therapist for conditions like lazy eye or focusing difficulties
• Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) for non-surgical myopia management
• Eye patches or other therapeutic interventions

Let us partner with you to safeguard your child’s vision and support their journey to lifelong learning and achievement. Book a children’s eye exam in Wildomar with Bear Creek Eye Care and ensure your child’s eyes are healthy and ready for success.