How Young Kids Cheat on Eye Exams

They can't help it, but there is one thing you can do to help them.

It’s true. If you have kids under age 13, they probably tried to cheat on their last eye exam. Depending on how the exam was performed, they may have succeeded, leading to inaccurate results.

The other day I was driving my car when something caught my eye and distracted me just long enough that I hit a pothole. I didn’t really give it a second thought, except for the spilled coffee.

A few days later as I’m driving to work I noticed the steering pulling to the left and I had to compensate by turning the steering wheel slightly to offset it.

That can’t be good I thought. I had already forgotten about hitting the pothole. However, I knew if I left the alignment uncorrected, the problem could cause other issues, including expensive wheels and tires.

It dawned on me that I had adapted to the circumstances without even realizing it.

What seemed normal to me, was not normal at all and could lead to bigger problems if left uncorrected.

While my kids can’t drive, they too can adapt to circumstances without knowing it. Kids are amazingly resilient and incredibly resourceful.

As our kids grow they experience many physical changes. Some will experience changes in their vision.

Because these changes usually occur over time, the eye muscles and brain work together to adapt to those changes, leading the child to think what they see is normal, even it if isn’t.

This new normal means that your child’s eye muscles and brain are cheating to help them see as clearly as possible. There are more scientific terms we could use, but I think you get the point.

Kids under 13 have very strong eye muscles, yet they can’t be fully controlled. If I ask a young child to relax their eyes, they can’t.

The most accurate eye exams for kids under 13 occur when the eyes are fully relaxed with the use of relaxing drops. You will want to allow some extra time for your child’s appointment because It takes a few minutes for these drops to work.

The small investment in time can translate into a lifetime of better vision. Your child’s visual development is greatest during these formative years and imperfect clarity is an invitation for ongoing vision problems.

Even though your child isn’t trying to cheat on their eye exam, without relaxing drops, there is a strong chance the involuntary cheating will lead to inaccurate exam results.

We realize that some children get anxious or agitated in a doctor’s office and minimizing time in the office is essential. We will work with you to customize a solution to provide the best possible experience for you and your child while also achieving the most accurate results.

Need to schedule an appointment for your child? Give our team a call at 405-341-2062 and let us know how we can help.