Supporting Your Child’s Visual Development
Your child’s visual system develops every year. They develop the visual skills they need for daily life and classroom learning. Vision is more than visual acuity (the ability to see clearly). It’s also a vital part of how children understand the world around them.
When your child learns to read and write, their visual perception skills help them process what they see. Healthy visual development enables children to remember what they’ve read or seen, and how to tell apart letters, words, or fine details.
Vision is heavily involved in your child’s development. Routine eye exams help watch over their developmental progress, so they can get the support they need.
When Should Your Child Have an Eye Exam?
Taking your child to regular eye exams can help protect and preserve their sight. How often your child needs a checkup depends on their eye health and vision. For example, children who are nearsighted may need to update their eyewear more often due to prescription changes or as per their myopia management plan.
When your child has a vision problem, your optometrist can make personalized recommendations based on their eye care needs.
For children with low risk or no history of eye problems, we recommend annual eye exams. We see children beginning at age 4 to prepare them for the visual demands of school.
Set Your Child Up for Success
Visual skills are essential for many tasks, from catching a ball to reading a book. Yet, many children may not be aware they have a vision problem. Instead, they may believe they see the same way as everyone else, or don’t know how to explain what they’re feeling or seeing. As a result, they may struggle to keep up with their peers, exhibiting poor classroom or sports performance.
About 80% of classroom learning relies on sight. When your child has a vision problem, it can significantly impact how they engage in school. They may fall behind, act disruptively, or develop poor self-esteem.
Early detection and treatment offer children the best chance of developing healthy vision or gaining the tools they need to succeed.
Common Vision Problems in Children
Children may experience refractive errors, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism, that affect how clearly they can see at various distances. This can impact their ability to see the board at school, participate in sports, or read books and close-up text.
Other vision problems children may experience can take more than a pair of glasses to correct. Issues such as lazy eye (amblyopia), crossed eyes (strabismus), and keratoconus (a corneal disorder) may require further testing and treatment to correct.
Lazy eye and crossed eyes may require vision therapy to retrain the eye muscles and strengthen the eye-brain connection. Without these steps, the problem will persist and possibly worsen.
Signs Your Child May Have a Vision Problem
Regular eye exams help us detect vision problems or watch for signs that eye problems may develop. There are also some common signs and symptoms you can watch for that may indicate your child is struggling with a vision problem, including:
- Avoiding reading and other close activities
- Complaints of discomfort, fatigue, or headaches
- Closing or covering one eye to see
- Difficulty remembering what they’ve read
- An eye turning in or out (or crossed eyes)
- Frequent eye rubbing or blinking
- Holding reading materials close to their face
- Short attention span (for their age)
- Seeing double
- Tilting their head to one side
Book Your Child’s Eye Exam Today
Eye exams are a crucial part of your child’s healthcare. Optometrists can diagnose and help manage vision problems, health conditions, and eye diseases. As many children struggle to express their vision difficulties, these conditions may go undetected without a comprehensive eye exam.
Dr. Simms and our experienced team are here to guide you and your child through their eye exam process, making sure that their vision is clear and comfortable throughout each stage in their development. And if your child needs glasses or is interested in contact lenses, we can help find them the right fit.
Book your child’s eye exam to help them receive the care they need to succeed, inside and outside the classroom. Visit Urban Optique & Eyecare today!
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Protect Your Child’s Vision from Myopia
Myopia, or nearsightedness, can progress rapidly during childhood, leading to a high prescription and significant eye health risks.
We provide myopia management to slow this progression, using methods such as Stellest eyeglass lenses, MiSight soft contact lenses, and Ortho-K Overnight Vision Correction.
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What Our Customers are Saying
My family switched to Urban Optique in 2025 and we are very happy that we did. Dr Simms is professional and caring. She takes her time with patients.
Michelle
I had a fantastic experience at Urban Eyecare! Huge thanks to Dr. Huynh for such a thorough exam and to Varshali for being so incredibly helpful throughout my visit. They both made the process seamless and enjoyable. Highly recommend this team!
Siddharth
I stopped by with a small issue with my glasses, and Emily was wonderful to deal with. She was patient, professional, and genuinely helpful. Left with my glasses fixed and a very positive impression.
Saurabh
Emmanuel
Visit Our Location
Find us in the Chandler Heights Marketplace, next to ToScany’s Coal Oven Pizza. There is plenty of parking available.
Our Address
- 4960 S. Gilbert Rd, Ste 11
- Chandler, AZ 85249
Contact Information
- Phone: 480-802-7170
- Fax: 480-802-3812
- Email: sheryl@drsimms.com
Hours of Operation
Closed from 1:30 to 2:00 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Our Practice
Eye Exams
Brands
Specialty Services
Urban Optique & Eyecare
- 4960 S. Gilbert Rd, Ste 11
- Chandler, AZ 85249
- Phone: 480-802-7170
- Fax: 480-802-3812
- Email: sheryl@drsimms.com