Protect Their Eyes for the Future
Just as eye exams are a crucial component of preventive health care for adults, they are equally important for kids. We’re experienced eye care providers who understand the nuances of working with children of all ages and begin seeing infants as young as 6 months old.
By scheduling regular eye exams for your child, we can build a baseline for their vision and eye health. Additionally, we can help detect vision problems that your child may not have the words to articulate.
Our children’s eye exams follow the general cadence of our adult exams, but use tools appropriate for their age and skill level.
Protect your child’s eyesight by booking a comprehensive eye exam today.
Book Appointment
How Often Does My Child Need an Eye Exam?
The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends a first eye exam between 6 and 9 months of age, another between 2 and 5 years of age, and annual exams once your child starts school.
We begin seeing children as young as 6 months, and offer glasses suitable for infants and children 6 months and older.
How Vision Affects
Learning
About 80% of learning is visual, affecting many aspects of children’s development, from gross and fine motor skills to language skills like reading and writing. In Canada, nearly 25% of children begin school with an undiagnosed vision problem.
Undiagnosed vision problems can lead to frustration with school, behavioural and disciplinary problems, and learning at a slower rate than their peers. Regular eye exams are essential to detect vision problems in young children and remove the related barriers to success. They can also rule out vision problems as a cause of behavioural or learning problems.
Supporting children’s development through healthy vision is important to us, which is why Sun Valley Eye Care participates in Eye See…Eye Learn, a program that provides free glasses for kindergarten-aged children in Alberta.
Signs of Vision Problems in Kids
Many children can’t express their vision difficulties. Some may not have the vocabulary necessary to express themselves, while others may believe their vision is the same as everyone else’s.
There are many signs and symptoms to watch for in children. If you notice several of these signs, it’s time to book an eye exam for your child.
- Squinting or tilting their head
- Covering or closing one eye
- Excessive blinking or eye rubbing
- Complaints of headaches
- Holding objects close to the eyes
- Skipping words, letters, or lines when reading or writing
- Using a finger or moving the head to track when reading
- Delayed learning of the alphabet and/or difficulty with geometric shapes
- Poor hand-eye coordination
- Poor performance in school or behaviour problems
The Importance of Eye Exams for Children
For children, regular eye exams serve as a basis to monitor and track changes to their eyes and vision over time. By building a solid baseline through various diagnostic tests, we can measure their growth and development to verify that it is trending normally.
If there are differences between your child’s vision and their peers, we can offer timely interventions to support their eyes. Through assessments such as eye tracking and eye movement tests, as well as testing their reading efficiency, we can catch conditions that impact their daily life.
We diagnose conditions such as strabismus (eye turn), amblyopia (lazy eye), binocular vision dysfunction, and myopia, all of which can benefit from treatments or vision therapy.
Set Them Up for Success
Your child’s vision is a central piece of how they learn and understand the world, and is critical in developing a variety of life skills, such as hand-eye coordination, reading and writing, gross and fine motor skills, and more.
Set your child up for success and protect their vision through routine eye exams. Book your child’s appointment today.
Book Appointment
Why Sun Valley Eye Care?
Health-Focused Care
Your eye health is our focus. We offer extensive diagnostic imaging, eye alignment checks, and vision tests to make sure your eyes are healthy and functioning well together to prevent headaches, eye strain, or other discomfort.
Patient Education
We want you to understand your health and eye care options so you can make informed decisions. Our optometrists take time to walk you through any important information and answer all your questions.
Genuine Connection
Our team wants to get to know you and your family. We’re genuinely excited to catch up with you during your appointment and get a better understanding of your life and your needs. We believe this connection lets us serve you better.
Visit Our Location
Finding Our Office
We’re on the main floor of the Sunpark Plaza building beside South Calgary Medical Clinic.
Where to Park?
Validated, accessible parking is available right outside.
Our Address
- 105-40 Sunpark Plaza SE
- Calgary, AB T2X 3X7
Contact Information
- Phone: 403-452-3443
- Email: vision@sunvalleyeyecare.ca
Hours of Operation
Polished Style, Precise Vision
Our Google Reviews
Our Gallery
About Us
Specialty Eye Exams
Dry Eye Clinic
Eyewear & Contacts
Sun Valley Eye Care
- 105-40 Sunpark Plaza SE
- Calgary, AB T2X 3X7