See life through a childs eyes
Approximately 1 in 4 children have an undetected vision disorder. More than 80 per cent of the information children recieve about the world comes through the eyes. Unfortunately, poor vision can effect a child's development in many ways, including their ability to learn, their coordination, and personality.
Sharp comfortable vision is paramount for providing the best educational opportunities for children. Unfortunately, most children are not aware of what normal vision looks like and so do not report any difficulties in their sight until much later after when they first begun. The earlier that vision difficulties are detected in children however, the better the potential outcomes of treament will be. It is highly recommended that all children should have an eye examination every two years, typically beginning from 3 years of age, or 6 months if parents note abnormalties in their childs eyes. Approximately 1 in 4 Australian children have undiagnosed vision disorders which may effect their ability in the classroom. Vision disorders may effect your childs ability to read a board at school, read books, write, use a computer, and other classroom activities. Only a thorough eye examination may detect whether a refractive condition is causing symptoms of blur, eye discomfort or headache. At this practice, childrens eye examinations are conducted with a friendy and caring approach. Dean is renowned for his patience and courtesy when examining children, and having two young daughters of his own he is very approachable and understanding.
Common Refractive Conditions in Children
It is important that both parents and teachers watch out for signs of vision problems in children. Children may try and avoid certain tasks, such as reading and writing, when they are having difficulties and in these cases it is vital to check your child's vision as this may simply be the reason for the avoidance of these tasks. Poor attention span and reduced reading comprehension may also be related to vision problems. For more information on what to look out for have a look at Common signs of a Vision Problem.
Our practice is well equiped with specialised equipment and tests designed for providing the most thorough eye examinations for children. We have eye test charts designed for children as young as 2.5 to 3 years of age, and can obtain an accurate estimate of a prescription without direct input from the child. It is common for this practice to use dilating drops on children to help facilliate the most accurate eye examination possible, and for those children that may be apprehensive of eye drops, these can often be instilled whilst sitting on the parents lap and with the eyes closed. Obtaining an accurate measurement of a childs vision is important as well as measuring the prescription. Beyond these basic measurements a range of ocular muscle examinations are performed to ensure that both eyes align, point together in different positions of gaze and focus accurately. Without taking this extra level of care, it may be missed that the two eyes are not teaming together and pointing at the same place on a page of text. For more information on testing eyes have a look at What we Routinely Test For.
Following an eye examination at this practice, the results and recommendations are thoroughly explained to the parents and a report mey be requested for the school or a GP if necessary. On occassion glasses may simply not be adequate for obtaining the most accurate, clear and comfortable vision, so vision training exercises may be recommended. If exercises are required, a detailed and customised treatment plan will be provided and children will be provided 'homework' as well as in-office visits on a regular basis to monitor progress.
For more information on vision training have a look at our page on Vision Training.