Children & Teens (birth to 18 years)
Your advocate for youth eye wellness
Dr. Pelletier is a committed advocate for Seacoast youth of all ages. He believes that good eye health starts at a very young age, and is strongly impacted by early care and habits. Also, children are at particular risk in a number of areas, because their growing eyes do not yet have the same built-in protections that adults’ do. With all that in mind, Dr. Pelletier takes his role as a primary care pediatric physician and educator very seriously.
As a family practice, York Family Eyecare is always welcoming to children. We even have a fun area in the waiting area dedicated to our youngest visitors—no adults allowed!
Children simply love Dr. P., who is a devoted father of four, and a grandfather of six. He has a great rapport with young people, and is easy to talk to. These positive early patient experiences that he provides encourage children to more actively participate in achieving their own wellness throughout their lives.
How Dr. Pelletier goes the extra mile for pediatric patients
- He educates families about major new concerns regarding children’s blue light exposure from electronic devices. Families are given options for protection from it, and other important support.
- He donates his time to provide school screenings at local elementary schools. (Please call your child’s school to ask if they are currently taking advantage of Dr. Sammy’s optometric screening services.)
- He believes so strongly in visual assessments for infants under age two that he provides them at no charge.
- He makes early sun protection a priority by providing complimentary high-quality sunglasses during office visits with his 12-and-under patients.
Why early eyecare matters
Vision issues in young people are a common issue. From kindergarten to college, regular eye exams are important for growing eyes for a number of reasons:
- Learning success, or difficulties, can hinge on our visual ability.
- Stages of growth yield frequent changes to the body during this time. This can mean rapid vision changes, too.
- Issues with vision can have many ramifications that can be missed when unchecked. These issues can hamper youngsters’ abilities in all sorts of recreational activities that require good vision, like sports and music. They can even negatively impact young people socially, and affect their personality.
Regular eye & vision exams for health
Many changes occur in young, vulnerable eyes as they rapidly grow and develop, and as they are exposed to damaging UV and blue light every day. Having young patients followed closely by an eye doctor is the key to fully protecting their eyes for decades to come.
The American Optometric Association recommends the following frequency of eye examinations for pediatric patients from birth to 18 years:
- First exam at six months of age
- Second exam at three years of age
- Third exam before first grade
- At least every two years thereafter, and annually for certain patients*
An amazing amount of changes occur in a young person’s eyes in just a year! In addition, society’s heavy reliance on computers and electronic devices now puts young people at historically unprecedented risk for developing vision issues. Given these factors, Dr. Pelletier strongly recommends that all school-age children have their eyes examined annually up through college.
It is our honor to be entrusted with your children’s eyecare.
*PLEASE NOTE that children considered to be at risk for the development of eye and vision problems may need additional testing or more frequent re-evaluation. Don’t hesitate to call us if you require additional guidance regarding your child’s unique needs.