It’s just as important that children attend regular eye exams as it is for adults. Not only are your child’s visual skills still developing, but proper vision is crucial for their learning and success at school and in their peer relationships. Although any optometrist can assess your child’s vision, a pediatric eye doctor has the special experience with children needed to understand issues that are specific to children. But with many different pediatric eye doctors around, how do you know who to choose?
Here are our top tips for choosing the right pediatric eye doctor for your child.
Ask around for recommendations
One of the easiest ways to draw up a shortlist of potential eye doctors is to ask around for recommendations. Speak to friends, family, and colleagues with young children and ask them who they use and if they would recommend. Similarly, they may be able to advise you who to avoid and why.
Check out their credentials and qualifications
You can’t become a licensed pediatric eye doctor without the right qualifications. And there is plenty that an optometrist can do to push their training and development that extra mile – from completing a residency to gaining extra certifications. Spend a little time checking that the qualifications that they claim to have are legit, and see how seriously they invest in career progression through extra learning.
Find out just how much experience they have with children
Pediatric eye doctors will have received specialist training in supporting children with the health of their eyes, but the level of experience that they have can vary considerably. And as most people know, the experience can be just as valuable. After all, study and textbooks can only teach so much. One of the most important things you can do when choosing a pediatric eye doctor is to find out just how much experience they have working with children. The best pediatric eye doctors will have enough to know how to keep children calm and comfortable during an eye exam and will understand the best terminology to use to explain what is happening at each stage of the appointment without it seeming scary.
Read reviews and references
Virtually every eye doctor has a digital presence, and in many cases, a large percentage of this is made up of reviews, references, and recommendations by other people. A quick search engine search should reveal plenty of information, whether it’s on their own website or on a review page. Just remember to consider any bias that may be in play - for example, the pediatric eye doctor’s office isn’t likely to publish any scathing reviews on their website, but you might find a better balance on an independent review page.
Visit them in person
The best way to really get a feel for the right pediatric eye doctor for your child is to visit their office and them in person. You’ll be able to see what special provisions they have in place to help young people feel happy and comfortable, assess how they talk to your child and get an overall impression of the standard of care that they offer. Speak to your child to find out how they feel after they visit too. If they were happy, you’re onto a winner!
If you would like more tips on how to choose a pediatric eye doctor, visit Grin Eye Care in Leawood, Kansas. Call (913) 829-5511to schedule an appointment today.
