We Put Your Kids First
At Claresholm Eye Care, we want your kids to thrive. Your child depends on their vision for more than daily tasks. Undiagnosed or untreated vision problems can hinder your child’s confidence and their ability to learn effectively.
It’s not easy for kids—or even their parents—to notice they have a vision problem. That’s why bringing your child for their annual eye exam is so key.
We happily welcome patients of all ages. Our children’s eye exams are specifically designed to evaluate your child’s eye health as well as their visual clarity and do what we can to give them the visual tools they need to flourish.
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Does My Child Have a Vision Problem?
When our children are young, they may not know how to express a problem with their vision. Similarly, parents may not understand that school troubles or difficulty concentrating can be related to visual issues.
Annual eye exams are vital for helping ensure your child has the visual tools they need to succeed.
- Signs of vision problems in kids include:
- Poor reading comprehension
- Short attention span
- Headaches
- Frequent blinking
- Squinting
- Avoiding reading
- Tilting the head to one side
- Losing their place often while reading
Sometimes, there are no obvious signs. Kids are remarkably adaptable and resilient, so regular eye exams can detect problems that parents or teachers might not notice.
How Often Do Kids Need Eye Exams?
We strongly recommend eye exams starting at 6 months old and yearly from there. Getting a back-to-school eye exam is a great way to make it part of your family’s routine!
For kids who wear contacts or are nearsighted, we may recommend a more frequent eye exam schedule. (If your child is nearsighted, we highly recommend a personalized myopia control program to help protect their eyesight and prevent it from worsening.)
Babies should undergo their first eye exam between the ages of 6 and 9 months old.
This first exam will include looking into their eyes and performing some basic, but essential, tests to evaluate your child’s eye health, focus, and tracking.
Between the ages of 2 and 5, children should have at least one more eye exam.
This visit acts as a follow-up appointment for your child’s first exam. It allows us to continue to evaluate your child’s eye health and determine if their eyes are focusing and tracking as they should. This eye exam helps set up your child for success in learning, sports, and socializing.
During this exam, your child’s optometrist will also look for signs of amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (crossed eyes). These common childhood eye conditions need treatment so they don’t cause worse vision issues later.
At this point, we may recommend more frequent eye exams, or provide you with a personalized schedule for visiting us again.
Once your child starts school, we recommend an annual eye exam.
While they’re in school, your child’s eyes are working and playing hard as their body grows. This is typically an age when refractive errors, including nearsightedness, begin to emerge. Detecting nearsightedness (also known as myopia) early allows us to intervene with myopia control to protect their vision from worsening.
Kids’ Vision Problems Can Be Subtle
Don’t wait for your child to express a vision problem. Frequent squinting, frustration while reading, or even behavioural difficulties can all be linked with difficulty seeing. Bring them in for an eye exam and let us put your mind at ease.
We can often accommodate walk-ins, so please pop in when you’re nearby and we’ll do our best to provide your child with a convenient and thorough eye exam.
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Why Our Patients Love Claresholm Eye Care
A Full Picture of Your Health
With advanced technology and a knowledgeable team, we can diagnose, treat, and manage a range of conditions, from your child’s nearsightedness to irritating dry eyes to eye diseases.
In-House Lens Edging
Our in-house lab lets us finish and secure your lenses in your frames, reducing your wait time and helping lower your final bill.
Custom, Quality Eyewear
For clear, distortion-free vision, we use high-quality Nikon lenses and craft your eyewear with precision and care so your glasses suit both your style and vision needs.
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Our Location
Our eye clinic in Claresholm has been serving Southern Alberta for over 20 years. We are located next to Rooster Tails and Prairie Home Decor & Framing.
Address
- 130 49 Ave. West
- Claresholm, AB T0L 0T0
Contact Us
- Phone: 403-625-4471
- Fax: 403-625-4773
- Email: [email protected]
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Claresholm Eye Care
- 130 49 Ave. West
- Claresholm, AB T0L 0T0
- 403-625-4471
- 403-625-4773
- [email protected]
