Community Corner
Perspective Eye Care Offers Tips on What to Know Before Your Child's Eye Exam
From first exams to spotting warning signs, here's what Long Island parents should know about keeping their kids' vision on track.
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BELLPORT-CORAM, NY — It's an item that's easy for parents to overlook: a children's eye exam. According to Perspective Eye Care, which sees young patients daily at its Bellport and Coram locations, healthy vision plays a bigger role in a child's classroom success than many parents realize.
"Reading in class, spotting a ball during sports, recognizing faces, staying focused at school — all of that depends on how clearly a child sees," said Dr. Brian Cho, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O., of Perspective Eye Care. "Many vision problems are much easier to treat when they're caught early, which is why regular exams matter more than most parents expect."
When Should Kids Have Their Eyes Checked?
Dr. Cho recommends a child's first comprehensive eye exam around six months old, when a doctor checks eye health, movement, and visual development — no letter recognition required. A second exam around age 3 evaluates depth perception, focusing, and coordination, often catching the first subtle signs of a problem. A pre-kindergarten exam helps confirm a child is visually ready for reading and classroom work, and annual exams are recommended once school begins, tracking prescription changes during years of rapid growth.
Kids with a family history of lazy eye, strong prescriptions, or eye turns may need more frequent visits, Dr. Cho noted.
Signs Parents Shouldn't Ignore
Because children often assume everyone sees the way they do, they rarely complain about blurry vision directly. Instead, Dr. Cho said, parents should watch for squinting, sitting too close to screens or books, frequent headaches or eye rubbing, losing their place while reading, head tilting, or a short attention span during homework.
"If you notice any of those signs, it's worth scheduling an exam sooner rather than later," he said.
What a Kids' Exam Actually Looks Like
Perspective Eye Care's pediatric exams are built around age-appropriate charts, matching games, and interactive tests rather than standard letter charts alone, making the process feel more like play than a medical visit — particularly for younger or nervous children. Digital measurement technology also helps the practice estimate prescriptions quickly and comfortably.
Many exams include dilation, which allows the doctor to examine the inside of the eye and catch prescriptions — including hidden farsightedness — that might otherwise go undetected. Temporary light sensitivity and blurry near vision can follow for a few hours, and Dr. Cho suggests bringing sunglasses or a hat for the ride home. "Most kids handle it just fine once they know what to expect," he said.
A Growing Focus on Myopia
Nearsightedness in children has become increasingly common, Dr. Cho said, driven in part by more screen time and near work. Left unmanaged, myopia can raise the risk of more serious eye conditions later in life. Perspective Eye Care offers myopia management options — including specialized control lenses and contact lenses designed to slow progression — along with lifestyle guidance like daily outdoor time and the 20-20-20 rule for screen breaks.
Perspective Eye Care accepts most major vision insurance plans, including VSP, EyeMed, Davis Vision, and Versant Health, and can typically apply FSA or HSA funds toward exams, glasses, and contact lenses.
Dr. Cho said there's no wrong time for parents to get their child's vision checked. "It's an easy thing to put off, but it's one of the simplest things you can do for your child," he said.
About Perspective Eye Care
Perspective Eye Care is a family-friendly optometry practice serving Long Island from its Bellport and Coram locations, led by Dr. Brian Cho, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O. The practice offers comprehensive eye exams for patients of all ages, pediatric and myopia management care, dry eye treatment, scleral contact lens fittings, and eyewear services.
For More Information
Dr. Brian Cho, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O.
Perspective Eye Care — Bellport & Coram
perspectiveli.com
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