Children's Eye Examinations
There are many eye disorders which can prevent kids from achieving their best. The early years of development are the most important which eventually shape how well a child performs at school. The majority of all learning experiences come from a child's vision. There is no minimum age to wait for your child's first eye test, but an eye exam at least before they start school is a very good idea.
Common eye problems can manifest as headaches (particularly when doing close-work), or children using funny words to describe what they see (the words are “fuzzy” or “jumpy”). We find that commonly, rather than complain to their parents, kids will cease doing an activity that requires too much visual effort. We also find children may simply interpret their vision as being 'normal', even in the presence of significant problems such as eye turns, lazy eyes or short-sightedness. These issues can be picked up on their first eye exam.
The type of testing that can be done depends on a child's age. Obviously, we can't ask a 6 month old to read a letter chart. Prescription, eye alignment and eye health can still all be checked non-verbally. We can also use non-verbal clues to assess vision on very young children (less than 2 years old). As they get to 2-3 years of age shape targets can be used to determine visual function.
You don't need to wait until they start school, particularly if there is an obvious problem such as an eye turn or a family history of vision problems from a young age. Having an eye testing appointment in the morning is usually better for children, as this is when they are least likely to be tired.
Some extra tests that are used when examining children include:
We stock an exclusive range of frames especially designed to be tougher and more wear resistant for children.
Common eye problems can manifest as headaches (particularly when doing close-work), or children using funny words to describe what they see (the words are “fuzzy” or “jumpy”). We find that commonly, rather than complain to their parents, kids will cease doing an activity that requires too much visual effort. We also find children may simply interpret their vision as being 'normal', even in the presence of significant problems such as eye turns, lazy eyes or short-sightedness. These issues can be picked up on their first eye exam.
The type of testing that can be done depends on a child's age. Obviously, we can't ask a 6 month old to read a letter chart. Prescription, eye alignment and eye health can still all be checked non-verbally. We can also use non-verbal clues to assess vision on very young children (less than 2 years old). As they get to 2-3 years of age shape targets can be used to determine visual function.
You don't need to wait until they start school, particularly if there is an obvious problem such as an eye turn or a family history of vision problems from a young age. Having an eye testing appointment in the morning is usually better for children, as this is when they are least likely to be tired.
Some extra tests that are used when examining children include:
- Retinoscopy to aid accurate prescriptions and diagnosis
- Cycloplegic refraction
- Testing ocular motility (eye muscles)
- Testing binocular vision (for depth perception and hand-eye coordination)
- Cover testing for eye turns (strabismus)
- Visual acuity testing for amblyopia (lazy eye)
- Assessment of eye tracking
- Assessment of visual skills such as visual memory and visual spatial ability
We stock an exclusive range of frames especially designed to be tougher and more wear resistant for children.
