Here are great tips from Dr Dina Kulik, Pediatrician from Toronto on preparing your child for his/her first eye exam. Children should be seen at least once around age 2-3 before starting school, and the first exam can be as early as 6 months. Parents mistakenly believe that kids would complain if they couldn’t see, but they don’t because they accept it as normal.

• Talk about the upcoming visit with excitement. If children are excited they are less likely to become fearful.
• Schedule an appointment at a time when your child is alert and interactive, not during a naptime or mealtime.
• Book yourself plenty of time. Rushing will stress you out and by extension your child will have less fun.
• Use books or props to help prepare your child for the experience; we have a book about ‘Critter’ getting his eyes checked.
• Use a low power flashlight on yourself or partner to show your kids how the eyes grow and shrink to the light. Then let them try it on you. Use this time to talk to your child about the use of bright lights before the appointment.
• Rewards, rewards, rewards. When you start talking about the appointment tell your child about the reward he or she will get for behaving well.

See More at How Vision Problems Can Affect Your Child’s Abilities. (Yummy Mummy Club.ca)

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October is Children’s Vision Month in Canada, so book your eye exam today! Children are covered for one full exam per year by OHIP.

Also visit Doctors of Optometry Canada to enter for a chance to win one of five weekly prizes including an HP laptop, and a chance at the grand prize valued at over $5000!
Click here to enter the Children’s Vision Month Sweepstakes