When you have children, their health and wellness become one of your top priorities. As a parent, you most likely want to know when your child should have an appointment with different health care professionals. Continue reading to learn more about when you should take your child to see an eye doctor:

Regular Check Ups

Just like seeing a pediatrician for a well check, kids should see an eye doctor annually to have their vision checked. During an eye exam an eye doctor will inspect your child's eyes for any signs of problems and administer a sight test to determine if your child can see okay. It may be helpful to schedule an appointment with the eye doctor at the same time you schedule a well check with your child's pediatrician so you don't forget to make the appointment.

Sudden Onset of Issues in School

If your child has previously done well in school but is now doing poorly on exams and assignments, its a good idea to make an appointment with an eye doctor. While a number of things can cause a child to do poorly in school, it is not uncommon for vision problems to be a cause. When a child can't see what the teacher is writing on the board, he or she may not be able to grasp the lesson properly. Getting an eye exam to see if your child need glasses is a good first step when grades drop.

Eye Infections

Conjunctivitis, commonly called pinkeye, is an eye infection that is very contagious and easy to spread to others in day cares and at school. If one or both of your children's eyes are red, swollen, and have discharge, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor. If your child's pink eye is caused by bacteria, your eye doctor will prescribe antibiotic drops to clear up the infection. When pink eye is caused by a virus the drops will not be effective, but your eye doctor will be able to advise you on how to treat the eyes at home until the virus passes.

Signs of a Amblyopia

Amblyopia, often called a lazy eye, is a condition where the eyes do not work together. Some common signs of a lazy eye in a child  is having one eye that wanders inwards or outwards, poor depth perception, squinting, or shutting one eye when trying to see. For best results and to limit future eye problems, amblyopia should be treated as early as possible. 

Contact a doctor, like Robert L. Evans, OD, for more help.