Pediatric Eye Exams
A pediatric eye exam evaluates how a child sees and checks eye health as they grow. Westminster Eye Care Associates provides eye exams for children in Providence, including families with questions after a vision screening. Contact our office to arrange a visit and share any concerns about your child’s vision or daily activities.
Children's vision changes as they grow, and regular eye exams play an important role in monitoring eye health and detecting conditions that may affect how a child sees the world around them.
Vision and Development
A child's visual system develops over the early years of life, and problems that go undetected during this period can be harder to address later. Pediatric eye exams allow our doctors to monitor this development and identify concerns that may not be obvious to parents or even the child.
Children often do not realize their vision is different from what it should be. A thorough eye exam — rather than a simple screening — provides a more complete picture of your child's eye health.
What a Pediatric Exam May Evaluate
Depending on your child's age and health history, a pediatric eye exam may include evaluation of:
- Visual acuity (sharpness of vision)
- Eye alignment and coordination (to check for conditions like strabismus)
- Focusing ability
- Refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism)
- Color vision where appropriate
- The health of the external and internal eye structures
Signs Worth Mentioning to Your Doctor
Parents often notice things that may be worth discussing with an eye doctor. The following are examples of behaviors or complaints that may be worth bringing up — they do not necessarily indicate a vision problem, but your doctor can help evaluate them:
- Sitting very close to screens or books
- Squinting frequently
- Complaints of headaches, especially after reading or screen time
- One eye appearing to turn in or out
- Rubbing the eyes often
- Difficulty following moving objects
- Sensitivity to light
What Parents Can Expect
Our team is experienced in working with children of varying ages and comfort levels. We work at a pace that feels manageable for your child and welcome parents to be present during the exam. We will explain what we are doing and answer any questions you have.
The exam can be adapted for children who are not yet able to read letters on a chart — we use age-appropriate methods to assess vision even in very young patients.
School Screenings vs. Comprehensive Exams
School-based vision screenings are useful for flagging potential concerns, but they are not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam. Screenings typically check only basic visual acuity and may miss a range of conditions — including some that can affect how a child sees up close, how their eyes work together, or the overall health of the eyes.
If your child passed a school screening but you have concerns, a comprehensive pediatric exam can provide a more thorough evaluation.
This page provides general educational information and is not a substitute for an examination, diagnosis, or treatment recommendation from a qualified eye-care professional.
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