The NL Optometrists Association is recommending eye exams for children starting as young as six months to a year in order to identify and address any potential vision problems as early as possible.

Dr. Ariel Hannaford, who practices at the Vision Development Centre in St. John’s says this is a busy time of year as parents book children for appointments ahead of the start of the next school year.

She says recognizing issues early can help to prevent any problems or delays in development.

“School issues are the big thing” says Hannaford, “difficulties with learning, squinting, clumsiness” are some of the signs of vision problems. She says in many cases a child doesn’t know that their vision is different from others and they don’t exhibit signs of difficulty, which is why an exam is important.