See the Whole Picture With a Children’s Eye Exam
The eyes are constantly growing until a person reaches their 20s. That’s why it’s so important to check in on the development of a child’s eyes early and often.
Visual skills begin to develop as soon as we are born. Children reach different visual milestones as they age, but can experience vision problems or refractive errors (blurry vision) during their early years.
At McGugan Eye Care, we want to make sure your child’s vision is developing and progressing as it should. The best way to ensure your child’s eyes are developing properly is to have regular eye exams.


Why Children’s Eye Exams Matter
Children rely on their vision to learn from their surroundings. In their youngest years, they are exploring what their parents look like and learning hand-eye coordination, and eventually they begin identifying shapes and colours. As children reach school age, they will use their sight to see the whiteboard, learn literacy and numeracy, and play sports.
Children don’t always complain about poor vision, since they don’t have anything to compare their sight to. Without regular eye exams, refractive errors, like being nearsighted or farsighted, might go unnoticed, and developmental issues could arise.
Common vision issues children experience from a young age include:
- Myopia (nearsightedness)
- Strabismus (crossed eyes)
- Amblyopia (lazy eye)
- Astigmatism (blurred vision at all distances)
When to Have Your Child’s Eyes Checked
It’s important for children to have their eye health, visual acuity, eye growth, and muscle development checked regularly to ensure they can see clearly and any vision issues are corrected as soon as possible.
6–9 Months
Your child’s first eye exam should be when they are 6–9 months of age. At this time, our friendly optometrists will check to make sure your child’s eyes are working together and developing properly.
2–5 Years
Children between ages 2–5 should have at least one eye exam, preferably before they begin school. Our optometrists will be able to get your child set up with their prescription and a pair of glasses before they begin school, and start identifying and treating symptoms like strabismus (crossed eyes) and amblyopia (lazy eye).
6–19 Years (School-Age)
Children’s eyes will continue to develop through their youth and teen years, therefore it’s important they have annual eye exams between ages 6–19.
Vision & Life Skills
Children who do not see well may underperform in their academic studies. Vision is essential to learning to read and write and advancing their education.
In fact, 88% of Canadians who have a visual impairment have said their educational experience was directly impacted by their sight, leading to impacts in their education, career choices, and employment.
A lack of visual coordination may also impact a child’s participation in recreation, and they might not excel or have fun in sports or other activities.
Visual skills required to excel at sports include:
- Clear distance vision
- Depth perception
- Wide field of vision
- Good hand-eye coordination
Occasionally, children may be misdiagnosed with learning discrepancies like ADHD due to their visual impairments.
Set Your Child for Success With an Eye Exam
Make sure your child is set for success by scheduling regular eye exams with your optometrist. The sooner your optometrist can evaluate and diagnose vision errors, the easier it will be to treat any issues.
If you think your child may have a visual error, or they are having trouble seeing clearly, book an appointment with our friendly team.
Our Location
Find us in the red brick building on the corner of Frank St. and Albert St. Parking is available just outside our door.

Our Address
- 22 Frank St
- Strathroy, ON N7G 3X3
Contact Us
- Phone: 519-245-2000
- Email: [email protected]
Hours
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed

Our Services

Contact Lens Exams, Fittings, & Brands
We offer contact lens-specific eye exams for those curious about wearing contact lenses. Find the right pair of contact lenses for your eyes here.

Frames & Lenses
Our staff is committed to helping you look and see your best. Browse our frames and lens brands and start picturing your new look.

Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management
Eye diseases often develop without noticeable symptoms. Early diagnosis through an eye exam allows us to begin treatment as early as possible.

Children’s Eye Exams
It’s important for children to get regularly scheduled eye exams to support their healthy development both in and out of the classroom.

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