The first step to a successful eye examination is to make your child feel comfortable. We do this by talking to them, find out about their nursery or school, what they like doing and telling a few jokes to relax the mood. We always leave time at the beginning and the end of each appointment to discuss any concerns you may have about your child’s eyes.
Eye Checks
There are a few things that we check during your child’s eye examination. It might not all happen in this particular order but this is what we focus on:
We carry out a check to examine their colour vision, focusing ability and depth perception (that’s their ability to perceive the world in three dimensions (3D) and the distance of an object).
We use a opthalmoscopy to closely check the back of the eye and check the health of the eye.
We also check for conditions like squints, lazy eye, long and short sightedness. The earlier these conditions are picked up the better the treatment outcomes.
We also have a good look at the outside of the eye, looking at their eyelid health, eyelash follicles and any eye discharge or swelling they could have.
When children come in for an eye examination some of them can’t read so we have invested in the facility to use symbol charts instead of letters when needed. We will also check how well they can see and determine whether they need glasses or not.
When is the best age to bring in my child for an eye examination?
Children can have their eye examination at any age but it is recommended that an optometrist sees them before they start school and start learning to read.
Sometimes, vision problems can be the reason a child does not perform well at school – they may find it difficult to concentrate if they can’t see the board etc.
School aged children should have an eye exam at least every year, even if no vision correction is required. The earlier a problem is detected the more chance there is of successful treatment.
Children’s eyes are fully developed by the time they are eight years old so it is very important to have any eye problems detected before this.
What if my child needs glasses?
If your child does need vision correction, we have a huge selection of kid’s frames featuring their favourite characters and colours. Many of our stores also carry the fashionable Ray-Ban for kids collections.
We’re ready to help you and your family 😀
You can book an appointment with our qualified optometrist by clicking the link below ↓
