Kid-Friendly
Eye Exams.
Eye Exams | Kids Ages 0-18
Cost: Paid by Alberta Health Care*
Optomap Photography: Included at no cost to you. (age-dependant)
Frequency: Every Year
(Children are covered by Alberta Health Care for one complete eye exam every year between July 1st—June 30th.)
Unlock Your Child’s Visual Potential.
A routine annual eye exam is one of the most important things a parent can do to help set their children up for success.
Kids discover the world around them through 3 main cognitive learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Over time, kids gradually move from tactile or kinesthetic learning to visual and auditory learning. Ensuring that these systems as working optimally is one way to help your child at school and in life.
Every Child…Every Year. Children seldom complain about vision problems because they assume everyone sees what they see. Kids' eye exams are designed to thoroughly test a child's visual system and determine any weaknesses that must be addressed during these crucial developmental years. Routine eye exams should commence no later than age 3, and ideally, we would like to see your kids before they turn 1. However, if you or your child's pediatrician has any concerns, please do not hesitate to bring your kids in sooner for their first eye exam.
FAQ’s About Kids Eye Exams in Edmonton
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The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends that you bring your child in for their first comprehensive eye exam at around six months of age. Early eye exams are crucial for detecting any potential issues that could affect your child's vision development. After the initial exam, your child should have another eye exam at age three and then before starting school at around age five.
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The Eye See… Eye Learn® program, initiated by the Alberta Association of Optometrists, aims to ensure that every child in Alberta starts school with the best possible vision. This program provides comprehensive eye exams and free glasses, if needed, to kindergarten children. By identifying and addressing vision problems early, the program helps children achieve their full academic potential and supports their overall development. The Eye See… Eye Learn® program underscores the importance of eye health and early intervention in a child's educational journey
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Yes, Helio Optometry offers myopia control treatments for children. Our clinic is equipped with the latest advancements in myopia management, including specialized contact lenses, eyeglasses and low-dose atropine eye drops. These treatments are designed to slow the progression of myopia in children, reducing the risk of developing more severe vision problems later in life. Our experienced optometrists will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your child's specific needs, ensuring optimal eye health and vision development.
Are You Concerned about Myopia or Nearsightedness in Your Kids?
Myopia is a widespread visual condition impacting about 30% of the population. However, by 2050, it is projected to affect 50% of the global population and about 58% of Canadians.
Myopia is increasingly prevalent in younger ages, beginning as early as 6-7 years of age and advancing faster than previous generations. Myopia is more than just needing glasses or contact lenses; it can also increase the risk of cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal detachments.
Visit our myopia management section to learn what you can do as a parent to help slow the progression in your kids. Early intervention is the key.
What’s Included in a Kids Eye Exam.
At Helio Optometry, we take routine eye exams one step further to ensure that you leave understanding your eye health and your options for vision correction. Our comprehensive eye exams include the following:
Optomap Ultra-Widefield Digital Retinal Imaging with a detailed explanation in the exam room (age-dependent).
Eye Pressure Screening for Glaucoma (age dependant).
A review of school and hobbies for specialized visual requirements.
A detailed medical history of eye-related conditions.
A detailed ocular history.
A thorough eye health examination.
A thorough vision examination with digital auto-refraction and manual refraction for eyeglasses.
A review of our findings and recommendations at the conclusion.
A copy of your eyeglass prescription.
Book Your Children In For Their Eye Exams Today.
How to Prepare Your Kids For Their Eye Exam.
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You know your kids best. Try to book an appointment that works with their schedule.
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Most eye exams take about 20-30 minutes to complete, but can last up to 1-hour if we need to dilate their eyes and run additional tests. If new eyeglasses are prescribed we suggest you allow for another 30-minutes to find something that they’ll love, as well as have our optical team take all the appropriate measurements to accurately fill their new prescription.
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Eye exams are covered through Alberta Health Care, so we need to see their card. You can also bring your private or government insurance if your child requires eyeglasses or contact lenses.
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Many health conditions can affect your vision. Knowing their medications can help us to better monitor your eye health. Medications for conditions such as diabetes, acne, asthma, allergies, and anti-depressants are only some of the conditions we monitor and treat.
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Knowing your child’s old prescription in their eyeglasses helps us to determine how much change their eyes are experiencing.
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If your kids wear contact lenses, please bring the current boxes. This way we can ensure that we can keep them in what they like, or find something that will work better.
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Eye exams are crucial for learning. It’s generally recommended that your child has an eye test annually. However, we may need to see them more often than this should they have any visual concerns that need to be treated.
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Maybe. We don’t routinely dilate everyone because we use optomap retinal photography, which provides us with 200-degree images of the inside of the eye. However, sometimes if we have a concern or need to further evaluate your child’s visual system, we may need to dilate their eyes. We might also dilate their eyes if we need to confirm their eyeglass prescription. We will always discuss this with you before instilling any eye drops.
Does Your Childs Eyeglass Prescription Keep Changing?
Myopia (nearsightedness) is when a person has a problem seeing faraway objects clearly but can see things up close.
It's caused because the length of the eye grows too long, resulting in light no longer focusing on the retina.
Some children experience large and often sudden increases in their prescriptions. Parents often feel helpless and continue to frequently purchase their child new pairs of eyeglasses.
Myopia significantly increases your child's risk for serious eye diseases in their lifetime. This is because as the eye grows longer and longer, causing the retina within the eye to become thinner and more fragile. As a result, myopia can increase your child's risk of eye diseases such as retinal detachment, cataracts, and glaucoma.
But there is treatment for myopia. Myopia control involves prescribing proven non-surgical treatments to help slow myopia progression in your child's eyes through their developmental years.
Eye See…Eye Learn™
We are thrilled to announce that Helio Optometry proudly participates in the Eye See...Eye Learn™ program!
As advocates for children's eye health and education, we believe in the importance of early detection and intervention. Through this incredible initiative, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive eye exams for children entering kindergarten, along with free eyewear if needed.
Our skilled optometrists are committed to ensuring every child has the best chance at academic success by addressing vision issues early on. By joining forces with the Eye See...Eye Learn™ program, we are actively safeguarding the vision health of our community's young learners. We are excited to impact and empower children to reach their full potential positively. Book your kids eye exam with us today, and let's ensure your child's vision journey begins with clarity and confidence!
Sunglasses for Your Kids: An Absolute Must
Because of the sensitive eye tissues, the eyes of children and teens are at high risk of sun damage - including reflected sunlight on water, sand, snow and roads. This makes sunglasses essential for protecting young eyes. Every child should have a pair of quality UV-400 protective sunglasses.
Helio Optometry believes in the benefits of quality sunglasses so much that we provide all children ages 3-10 with a FREE pair of non-prescription sunglasses from our kid’s line after their eye exam.