Kids’ Eye Exams in Calgary

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Focusing on Your Family

It’s never too early to focus on your children’s eye health and vision. Their sense of sight is important at every age and every stage of development.

Not to worry if your child is nervous for their eye exam. Our optometrists are experienced with children and can put them at ease. Many kids even think their eye exams are fun! And, if your child does need glasses, we offer a wide selection of colours and styles that will make them smile—in durable materials that will make you smile too!

Book their appointment today to set them up for success—and a lifetime of healthy vision.

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When Do Children Need Eye Exams?

The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends that children have exams at the following intervals:

  • A comprehensive exam to establish a baseline between the ages of 6 and 9 months
  • Another comprehensive exam as they grow and develop between the ages of 2 and 5
  • Annual, comprehensive exams from age 6 and continuing until adulthood

Proper vision is essential for children’s success—in life and in academics. Beyond just seeing what’s in front of them at school, visual skills are needed for social, cognitive, and motor skill development.

Book their eye exam today!

Valuable Visual Skills

Children aren’t born with the visual skills they need—they develop them over time, just like they develop the ability to walk and talk.

Good visual skills are essential to learning. Approximately 80% of what children learn happens through their vision. Whether it’s reading, interacting with other kids, throwing a ball around outside, or seeing what the teacher writes on the board, eyesight is involved.

If you want to set them up for success, it’s essential that visual skills are developing normally. Children who start school with undiagnosed vision problems may struggle to keep up in class. They may be misdiagnosed with ADHD or another behavioural disorder.

Undiagnosed vision problems can also lead to:

  • Learning at a slower rate than their peers
  • Behavioural and disciplinary problems
  • Higher risk of dropping out of school

Stages of Sight

There are many milestones in a baby's visual progression. Here's what to expect at some important stages:

  • Birth to 1 Month: Your baby should be staring at bright lights or faces, albeit for a short period.
  • 1 to 3 Months: They'll begin to look toward sounds and follow objects horizontally.
  • 3 to 5 Months: Babies begin to reach for objects and see differences between colours.
  • 5 to 7 Months: Hand-eye coordination will begin to develop, and your baby should start looking at distant objects.
  • 7 to 12 Months: Depth perception, focusing, and other visual skills should be developed, and your baby might begin to copy facial expressions they see.

As children get older, you can help encourage their healthy visual development by playing look-and-find games like Where's Waldo, doing word searches and maze games together, and limiting their screen time.

To ensure your child is developing visual skills at the appropriate pace, be sure to bring them in for comprehensive eye exams.

How Do I Know If My Child Needs Glasses?

If they are experiencing a vision issue, children are often unable to articulate the problem—they might not even know there is a problem. Unlike adults, children have not established a baseline of what proper vision looks like for them.

Bringing your child for regular eye exams can help establish that baseline. We can help detect any vision problems early on. Book their appointment today!

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Our Address

  • 268 Stewart Green SW
  • Calgary, AB T3H 3C8

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Our Blogs

How to Treat Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

Dry Eye Treatment

At Focus West Optometry, we recommend a well-rounded approach through our dry eye therapy. We can use iLux® where gentle amounts of light-based heat stimulate the area to promote healthy tear production.  […]

Read More…

March 25, 2024
Focus West Optometry

How Heat Can Cause Dry Eye During Winter

Dry Eye Treatment, Eye Health

As the crisp, cold winter air sets in, many of us retreat indoors to the cozy warmth of our heated homes. However, while we hide from the winter chill, we may unwittingly expose our eyes to an often-overlooked culprit behind dry eye symptoms: indoor heat! Space heaters and furnaces can remove the humidity from your […]

Read More…

February 17, 2024
Focus West Optometry

Dry Eye at Work: How to Find Relief

Dry Eye Treatment

You are not alone if you struggle with dry eyes while at work. Many people experience dry eye symptoms, such as burning, redness, and blurred vision, due to work-related factors like digital eye strain and a dry office environment.  While it may seem like a minor inconvenience, untreated dry eyes can lead to more severe […]

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February 13, 2024
Focus West Optometry
A close-up of a woman's bloodshot eyes, a symptom of meibomian gland dysfunction.

At Focus West Optometry, we recommend a well-rounded approach through our dry eye therapy. We can use iLux® where gentle amounts of light-based heat stimulate the area to promote healthy tear production.  […]

Read More…

A woman in warm clothes rubbing her eyes.

As the crisp, cold winter air sets in, many of us retreat indoors to the cozy warmth of our heated homes. However, while we hide from the winter chill, we may unwittingly expose our eyes to an often-overlooked culprit behind dry eye symptoms: indoor heat! Space heaters and furnaces can remove the humidity from your […]

Read More…

A man at a desk with a laptop rubbing his eyes because of dry eye symptoms he feels while working.

You are not alone if you struggle with dry eyes while at work. Many people experience dry eye symptoms, such as burning, redness, and blurred vision, due to work-related factors like digital eye strain and a dry office environment.  While it may seem like a minor inconvenience, untreated dry eyes can lead to more severe […]

Read More…

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