Good vision is vital for your child's growth and development. After all, it is how your child sees and learns about the world around them. In order to ensure your child is seeing properly, you must take your child to an optometrist starting at age three.

If you haven't had your child's eyes examined yet—and you are scared about the visit—use these three tips to help keep your child calm, cool, and collected during the appointment:

1. Schedule Wisely

If you know that your child is particularly cranky at a specific time of day, avoid scheduling the eye exam during that time. In general, children are more receptive and happy after sleeping. So if possible, schedule the eye exam in the early morning or after naptime.

By scheduling wisely, you can ensure that your child is happy and calm during the appointment—versus cranky and hard to work with. It will make life easier for all involved.

2. Jot Down Questions

If you—or your child—have questions about the eye exam, jot them down and bring them with you. When the doctor asks if you have any questions, bring out your notes and begin asking questions—this way you won't forget.

To help you remember the answers your doctor gives, make sure you bring a pen or pencil and write down the responses. This way you can go over the questions and answers later with your spouse or child.

3. Be Prepared

Make sure you are prepared to wait in the waiting room before the appointment. If your child gets anxious just sitting around, bring along a small toy—or two. You could also bring a book, activity booklet, or headphones with your child's favorite music.

You may also want to bring a snack to help keep your child quiet and comfortable. If you think you will be hungry, bring one for you as well.

In addition, make sure you bring along anything you might need: diapers, wipes, tissues, a change of clothes, etc. Being prepared and having everything you need will make the appointment go much smoother—and you won't have reschedule in the event that you need to make an emergency run to the store or home.

Although an eye exam for your little one isn't as scary as a doctor's office with needles, it can still be quite frightening for your child. Make your life easier—and your child more comfortable—by being prepared. Talk to experts like Drs. Farson and Murray Optometrists for more information.