Children’s Vision

More than just glasses to see the board

If you are considering scheduling an appointment with a paediatric optometrist in Brisbane for your child, you’re making the right decision. Whether or not your child is showing signs of a vision problem, every child needs to see an optometrist early and regularly throughout their childhood. Fresh Vision Optometrists understands the need for quality children’s eye care and provides kids’ eye exams as well as a wide variety of treatments for vision-related issues.

The examination of children in many respects is like the examination of adults but with a few important differences. Usually your optometrist will be interested in how your child has developed, how they are going at school (if school-aged) and whether a teacher has suggested an eye examination.

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We are not born knowing how to see

Our children are not born knowing how to see. It is something their brains develop over the first 6-10 years of life.

Children don’t often complain of visual difficulties, especially if it is only in one eye. For that reason, it is very important that all children have their eyes examined.

Ideally before they start school / kindergarten, or sooner if there is a family history of eye problems at a young age.

Benefits of a Toddler Eye Exam in Everton Park

Children’s bodies change at a dizzying rate, and their eyes are no exception. While most parents are great at taking their child to see their primary care doctor for regular check-ups, many don’t realise the importance of seeing a children’s optometrist at a young age. Here are some of the reasons it matters.

Children may not realise they have a vision problem. When your child has trouble seeing clearly, they may not be able to tell you. That’s because they may think that what they’re seeing is normal. An eye doctor can identify vision problems earlier than you or your child may notice them.
Children’s vision problems can develop quickly. Even if you took your child to see an eye doctor for a check-up as a baby, it’s essential to keep up regular exams through the toddler, preschool, and childhood years. That’s because vision changes can occur very quickly, and you may not realise that your child’s vision has changed in the months since they last had an exam.
Regular eye exams are an excellent habit to develop. When you take your child to the eye doctor regularly from a very young age, it instils the idea that eye care is important and helps ensure that they will continue taking proper care of their eye health later.

Prepare Your Child for a Visit to a Children’s Optometrist

Preparing your child for a kids’ eye exam in Everton Park can help them look forward to the appointment and approach it with excitement rather than apprehension. Here are a few things you can do to prepare your little one for their trip to the eye doctor.

Talk to them about what to expect. Children may not understand much of what goes on in doctor’s offices, and for many kids, this can be a cause of significant anxiety. Try to explain beforehand what they should expect to help ease any fears.
Consider visiting the clinic yourself first. Take a look at the office’s website and maybe even drop by to ensure that it is child-friendly and that the staff is welcoming. Make sure the clinic offers kids’ eye exams, children’s eyeglasses, a paediatric optometrist, and so on.
Plan to stay with your child. Your presence brings comfort like no other. Whether you hold your child’s hand or simply sit beside them during their exam, you will be a source of calm for them. At least for their first exam (and others if they’re nervous), plan to accompany your child into the exam room.

The importance of regular eye appointments

Lazy eye, or amblyopia, is where visual development of one (or occasionally both eyes) does not occur normally. Without treatment, the sight will continue to abnormally develop and may lead to reduced vision as an adult. Successful treatment of amblyopia is more likely if it is detected early, before the visual development becomes “hard wired” in the brain (generally between the ages of 8-10). Treatment is usually by either spectacles / contact lenses, eye patching or referring for surgery.

Also, myopia, or short-sightedness, is becoming much more prevalent and there are well known risk factors for myopia development and your optometrist will spend some time looking at these.

About Fresh Vision Optometrists

At Fresh Vision Optometrists, we welcome patients of all ages. We offer children’s eye exams performed by an experienced paediatric optometrist in a soothing and friendly setting. If you would like to schedule an adult eye exam or a child vision test in Brisbane, contact us today.

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