Children rely on vision for 80% of their learning, so ensuring their sight is the best it can be is essential. Kids, especially young children, can’t always tell when there is a problem with their vision, so regular eye exams are the best way to ensure their eyes are healthy and their vision is 20-20.
Childhood eye problems
There are a number of eye conditions that are common in children. Myopia, also known as short-sightedness, is becoming more common and affecting younger children more than ever before. Hyperopia, or long-sightedness, is another common refractive error, as is astigmatism, where the cornea has an irregular curve. All these problems can cause blurred vision.
Some children have one eye weaker than the other, resulting in amblyopia, also known as lazy eye. There are also conditions that affect a child’s binocular vision, or the way the eyes work together. All of the above are things that we check for in our children’s eye exams.
Signs of an eye problem
Children often aren’t aware that anything is wrong with their eyes, they assume that what they are seeing is normal. Between eye exams, you can look out for possible signs that there could be a problem with their vision, such as:
- Squinting
- Rubbing their eyes
- Reluctance to read or write
- Following lines of text with their finger
- Headaches or sore eyes
- Blinking lots
- Sitting very close to the TV or holding books close to their face
- Problems at school.
If you notice any of these, it’s a good idea to bring your child in to have their eyes checked.
Children’s eye exams
Our eye exams for kids take just 30 minutes and our experienced team is great at putting nervous youngsters at ease. If a child is too young to read, we use pictures and symbols to do the tests. NHS eye tests are free for children aged under 16, and those aged 16-18 in full-time education. We recommend bringing your child for their first eye test when they are about 3 years old, then again before they start school. Once they are in school, they should have an eye exam every year.
Glasses for children
If your child needs glasses to correct their vision, we have a great range of frames designed to appeal to kids, including:
- Roald Dahl
- Oakley Youth
- Nike Kids
- Hello Kitty
- Ray-Ban Jr
- Eyestuff
- Ted Baker
- Rock Star
- Whiz Kids.
For children with myopia, we offer the option of MiYOSMART lenses which are proven to slow the progression of myopia, reducing the risk of complications in later life.
We also fit contact lenses for kids from age 8. We find children usually take to contacts very well and they can be advantageous when playing sports.
Book an eye exam
If your child hasn’t had an eye exam in the past year or you think there may be a problem with their vision, contact us to book them an appointment today.
