Skip to main content Skip to sitemap
Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health
boy with glasses and eye test chart

Vision

Why is good vision important?

As many as one in four children has a vision problem serious enough to impact their learning and development, including language delays. Regular eye exams can identify health problems and conditions such as a turned eye or lazy eye. These conditions may be treated if they are found early in a child’s life.

Free eye exams for children

Yearly eye exams with an eye doctor (optometrist) are free for children (zero to 19 years of age) with an Ontario health card.

The Ontario Association of Optometrists recommends that school-age children have an eye exam every year.

Find an optometrist

The Canadian Association of Optometrists provides more information about eye health and eye exams for children and adults.

Free glasses for kindergarten students

The Eye See…Eye Learn program gives free glasses to kindergarten students after an eye exam with a participating optometrist. Check with your eye doctor before your appointment to see if they participate in this program. Learn more about Eye See Eye Learn. 

Interested in receiving monthly updates about HPEPH programs and services?

Sign up for our e-newsletter

NOTICE

All Hastings Prince Edward Public Health offices – Belleville, Quinte West, Prince Edward County and North Hastings – will be closing at noon on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, to allow for staff participation in an organizational staff development day. We apologize for any disruption this may cause.  Our offices will re-open for business as usual on Monday, Nov. 25.