Optometrist: What Age is Your
First Appointment?

Optometrists recommend starting early, so the first optometry appointment should be at six months of age. At this appointment, the optometrist makes sure that there is not an imbalance between the two eyes, checks that the alignment of each eye is correct, and looks for any refractive error.

Two clear images (one with either eye) are needed in order for the eye-to-brain images to develop normally. If one eye is not functioning correctly, then you lose that connection from eye to brain, and even if you do put glasses on later on in life, your vision may not be as good as it would normally.

Even if all is normal after this first appointment, however, you should have your eyes checked every two years. Your pediatrician will check your eyesight at your regular appointments. If your doctor notices a problem, he or she will refer you to an optometrist who can accurately treat and diagnose vision problems.