When scheduling annual doctor’s visits for children, it’s essential to include a trip to the eye doctor. Regular eye exams are especially important for kids because they don’t always vocalize their vision issues. The eye doctor will be able to inform you if your child needs glasses or is susceptible to different eye diseases.
Mason Eye Center strives to make visits to their office as comfortable as possible to patients of all ages, but maintain a genuine focus on children.
“I enjoy interacting with kids,” Dr. Ted Snyder tells us. “Not all doctors like interacting with kids, and not all are good at it.”
Dr. Snyder has a long-standing interest in working with children and has also delivered eye care to individuals in underdeveloped areas all over the world. After receiving his Doctorate of Optometry from the Ohio State University, he proceeded to purchase Mason Eye Center in 2009.
For Dr. Snyder, eye care has been a nearly lifelong passion.
“When I was a sophomore in high school I would go to the Career Room in our library and take self tests to determine what my interests and skills were,” Dr. Snyder explains. “Once I read about optometry I made my decision.”
In addition to the empathetic treatment of children, Mason Eye Center also offers services not all optometrists do.
“My love of a test called retinoscopy sets us apart,” Dr. Snyder tells us. “This is how we determine if a child has nearsightedness or farsightedness or astigmatism and if they need glasses. While all optometrists learn this skill in school, not all practice it or like it.”
How have you adapted eye exams to specifically appeal to children?
“I’m proud of the ability we have at Mason Eye Center to incorporate cartoons into the eye exam,” Dr. Snyder says. “This gives the child something to focus on to make my job easier and the exam more fun for them.”
How often should you schedule vision exams for your child?
“I recommend annual eye exams for all children, in fact, for all people,” Dr. Snyder tells us. “This is even if the child has no trouble with their vision.”
What do eye doctors look for during annual vision exams?
“I am looking for problems with depth perception and binocularity, visual learning, eye health and whole body health,” Dr. Snyder explains. “Even things like high blood pressure, juvenile arthritis, diabetes and many others can show up during an eye exam.”
What are some signs your child may have vision issues?
“It’s hard for parents or even teachers to notice eye issues because they are seeing the child every day,” says Dr. Snyder. “Scheduling annual exams with an optometrist that specializes in pediatrics is the best thing parents can do. However, eye rubbing, excessive blinking, watering, redness, eye turns, closing one eye, holding their head funny, and naming the wrong color are all symptoms that parents can watch for.”
Tips for Healthy Eyes
1. Drink plenty of water and eat your veggies and fruits.
2. Get annual eye exams.
3. Wear sunglasses.
August is Kid’s Eye Health & Safety Month and a great time to schedule your family’s annual eye exams!
Mason Eye Center
6667 Western Row Rd. Mason
513.770.4220 | MasonEyeCenter.com