Annual eye exams are recommended for all school-age children in Ontario and covered by OHIP. Here's why skipping years is a mistake, even when your child seems to see just fine.
The short answer: once a year, for every child from age 6 to 19. This is the recommendation from the Ontario Association of Optometrists and the Canadian Association of Optometrists. A child's eyes change fast, and annual exams catch problems while they're still young.
Children almost never report vision problems. Not because they don't have them — because they don't know what they're experiencing is abnormal. A child who has always experienced some blurring during reading assumes everyone does. A child whose eyes ache after an hour of homework thinks that's just what homework feels like. An annual exam catches what the child isn't telling you.
The visual system isn't static during childhood. Myopia (nearsightedness) typically develops between ages 6 and 12 and can progress rapidly — sometimes by half a diopter or more in a single school year. Without annual monitoring, a child can go from mildly nearsighted to significantly myopic without anyone noticing until they start squinting at the board.
Beyond myopia, the visual demands of school increase year over year. A visual system that kept up in the early grades may start to struggle as demands increase. Annual exams track this progression and allow for early intervention.
In Ontario, one comprehensive eye exam per year is covered by OHIP for everyone under 20. There is no co-payment for the exam itself. This makes the annual recommendation straightforward to follow.
Children in active myopia control treatment typically need follow-up every 3 to 6 months. Children with strabismus or amblyopia in active treatment are seen more frequently. Children with systemic conditions that affect the eyes may also need more frequent monitoring. If you're unsure whether your child needs more frequent visits, ask at the next appointment.
Vision problems don't self-resolve. Myopia progresses without correction. Amblyopia worsens if untreated, and the critical treatment window eventually closes. A child who had an exam at age 6 and hasn't been back since is at real risk of having a problem that's been quietly making school harder for years.
OHIP-covered eye exams for children under 20 are available at Toronto Vision Therapy & Optometry in North York. Book an appointment at tvto.ca/booking or call us at 416-498-3438.
