Children's Eye Exams in Toronto

It’s Never too Early for Eye Health

It’s never too early to focus on your children’s eye health and vision. Their sense of sight is essential in all stages of development. Early detection and correction of concerns like refractive errors (their “lens prescription”), focusing issues, and eye movement issues can help support proper visual system development. Should any of these conditions go undetected, it’s possible their visual system might not develop as expected, leading to permanently reduced vision or visual abilities for their lifetime, including amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (a turned eye).

Parents must be aware that an infant will not complain of poor vision since:

1. they do not know what constitutes “normal vision
2. they are not verbal

If children do not have a comprehensive eye exam until they complain about symptoms, it may be too late to restore their vision or visual abilities. Even young children have been shown not to complain even if conditions significantly affect the quality of their vision.

Children might be nervous about having an eye exam, but all our team members, including our optometrists, have experience examining children and are ready to put them at ease. For us, it is important to give children a positive and comfortable impression of optometrists early in life so they feel comfortable coming for regular appointments.

If your child needs glasses, we offer a wide selection of colours and styles—helping them see clearly while putting a smile on their face.

Book their appointment today to set them up for success—and a lifetime of healthy vision.

Children’s Vision Issues & Stages of Sight

There are several vision conditions that develop in childhood and even some that are congenital but not easily detected by non-eye doctor health practitioners. Our skilled optometrists can diagnose and recommend treatment for a variety of children’s vision issues, including the following.

Myopia (Nearsightedness) – Poor Distance Vision

Myopia (nearsightedness) can be congenital or start in infancy and can progress, at times rapidly, over childhood and adolescence, particularly during “growth spurts.” High myopia could increase the risks of more serious conditions later on, and children with undiagnosed myopia may struggle in school.

If caught early, corrective eyewear can help them to develop proper vision and eye functioning. Research over the last decade now empowers optometrists to help slow or potentially halt myopia progression through innovative management strategies. These treatments can help manage prescription changes and, therefore, manage risks for high myopia-related diseases and eye conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal detachments. Children with early-onset myopia, as well as those with parents and other family members with high myopia, have a greater likelihood of developing high myopia.

Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)

Strabismus, a muscle condition commonly known as crossed eyes, occurs when the eyes are misaligned and do not look in the same direction. Strabismus can result in one eye turning in a different direction or, in some cases, a subtle misalignment called micro-strabismus, which parents or caregivers may not easily notice. Even minor misalignments can lead to poor vision and hinder binocular development. These issues can permanently affect vision and visual function if left undetected and untreated.

Strabismus does not improve on its own and requires correction from an optometrist.

Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is a condition where one eye has reduced vision that corrective lenses (like glasses or contacts) can’t fix.

It can happen for several reasons:

1. There is a big prescription difference between the eyes.
2. Your child has or is developing strabismus (crossed eyes).
3. Something is blocking one eye from seeing clearly, like a congenital cataract.
4. There’s a high level of farsightedness in both eyes.

Most of these conditions, except noticeable strabismus, often go unnoticed. Without correction before age 3 or 4, these issues may lead to permanent vision problems because the brain’s visual centre cannot interpret what your child sees between the ages of 0 and 5. If this centre doesn’t learn to interpret clear images during that time, it won’t be able to “see clearly” even if treatment starts later with corrective lenses.

Amblyopia is one of the most preventable causes of vision loss, but early detection is key—ideally before age 5.

Treatment often involves patching the stronger eye to encourage the brain to connect with the weaker one, which, if started before age 3 or 4, may help resolve the condition.

Convergence Insufficiency

When blurry or double vision is present, convergence insufficiency may be the reason. Convergence insufficiency occurs when the eyes do not align and don’t work together while looking at nearby objects or up-close work.

An eye exam is imperative to detect convergence insufficiency, as it occasionally presents without visual cues.

How Do I Know If My Child Needs Glasses?

If they are experiencing a vision issue, children are often unable to articulate the problem—they might not even know there is a problem. Unlike adults, children have not established a baseline of what proper vision looks like for them.

Bringing your child for regular eye exams can help establish that baseline. We can help detect any vision problems early on. Book their appointment today!