Child Eyecare

Eye conditions can arise at any age, but with regular eye tests, we can detect problems early enough to minimise the risk of the condition progressing. Therefore, it’s essential to prioritise your child’s eyecare appointments. 

Children should have their first comprehensive eye test at the age of 3 and then from school age at least once every 2 years. If your child already wears prescription glasses, they should attend an eye test yearly. 

A child’s ability to see significantly impacts their ability to learn and develop, as most children learn primarily visually until the age of 12. Often, vision impairments go unnoticed for a period as children have nothing to compare their vision to, so they do not realize the problem. 

Unless your child has mentioned sore eyes, headaches, and difficulty completing schoolwork, it can be hard to detect a vision problem. Therefore, bringing your child in for an eye test is best. 

The following symptoms could indicate a vision problem

• Showing little interest in distant objects
• Sitting too close to the TV or school blackboard and holding objects close to their eyes
• Squinting, showing sensitivity or discomfort to light
• Poor hand-eye coordination, such as trouble catching an object, can be due to vision impairment

What to expect at a child’s eye test 

During your child’s eye examination, our optometrist will test the following; 

• Testing the pupils’ response to light 
• Test the eye’s ability to focus on and follow an object
• A retinoscopy to examine the back of the eye
• Instead of the traditional letter chart, your child may be shown and asked to identify a series of shapes and symbols. The ‘tumbling E’ game is also used for children too young to identify letters and shapes; children are asked to identify in what direction the letter ‘E’ points. 

The optometrist will determine whether your child needs prescription glasses from the test. If your child requires prescription glasses, it’s essential to have their eyes checked yearly to ensure that their vision has stayed the same; it is common for a child to adjust their prescription glasses yearly as their eyes develop.