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The CAO’s new campaign urges regular comprehensive eye exams for children
Oct. 28, 2025
The Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) has launched a new digital awareness campaign to address children’s vision care and the rising myopia epidemic. Raising public awareness about the importance of regular eye exams for early detection remains crucial to improving eye care outcomes for Canadians, from toddlers to seniors. Unfortunately, eye health often doesn’t receive the same level of attention as other routine health care.
This campaign aims to boost public awareness about children’s vision care through a simple yet potent message: Eye issues aren’t always obvious. It will run throughout October on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest and Spotify in English and French, and it is supported by New Brunswick Association of Optometrists, Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Optometrists, Nova Scotia Association of Optometrists, The Prince Edward Island Association of Optometrists and industry sponsors Alcon and CooperVision.
“Many parents assume they would know if their child was struggling to see, and children with vision problems are generally unaware of their condition because they assume everyone sees the way they do,” says Dr. Allison Scott, CAO President. “Parents are often surprised when optometrists diagnose their child with an ocular issue. Reassuring them, explaining that these things aren’t always obvious, leads to a better understanding of the importance of regular comprehensive eye exams.”
IT’S NEVER TOO SOON TO SEE AN OPTOMETRIST
As a child grows, so do their eyes, and eye conditions can develop quickly. Optometrists frequently encounter ‘invisible’ eye issues especially myopia or nearsightedness—an increasingly common eye disease among children.
This is why the CAO recommends that parents schedule comprehensive eye exams for their children starting at six to nine months, then again between the ages of two and five years, and annually thereafter to age 19. After 19, eye development stabilizes, allowing eye exams every two years for healthy adults with no known eye conditions.
Eye exams are crucial, even if no symptoms are evident, to catch potential issues early and ensure timely intervention.
Find more about the CAO’s new awareness campaign here.
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