We’d argue that your child’s sight is their most important sense as they develop, allowing them to see and process all the new exciting things around them. In fact, it’s been found that 80% of what children learn is through their sight.
Most children should have perfectly healthy vision, however in the UK 20% have undetected visual defects. Although they may not even recognise this themselves, your son or daughter may express problems with their eyesight through their behaviour:
- Headaches
- Tiredness after concentration
- Rubbing their eyes
- Holding objects close to their face
- Blinking quite often
- One eye turning in or out
- White reflex often seen in photos (Urgent see the Optician or medical practitioner immediately)
- Squinting to see
- Often children do not show any symptoms at all
Addressing any of these problems and ensuring that your child’s eyes are working well in their early years is crucial to their performance and development at school, or during sports and other activities.
Although it’s recommended to book your son or daughter’s first eye exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist when they’re 6 months old, it’s also important to consistently keep an eye on their eye health with a complete eye test with an optician.
It is advisable to have your child’s eye examination early so that we can ensure that they are obtaining optimum vision and to check the general health of their eyes.
As qualified opticians we’re trained specially to check the health of children’s eyes and make sure your child will feel comfortable during the examination.
We’ll use a different approach to adult eye tests, using shapes, letters and pictures, so that we can still get accurate results for children who cannot read. If you’d like to know more, simply call the Optimum Vision Clinic on 0118 981 0267 for more information and advice.
Even if your child has good vision it is important to have regular eye examinations to maintain the health of the eyes. General recalls can range between 6 months to 2 years, children’s eyes are always changing and should not be overlooked.
Eye health and the sun
As the school holidays approach, your child might be spending a lot more time out in the sun. Keeping them protected from UV radiation is essential to prevent cumulative exposure, which can damage their eyes further down the line. Your child’s eyes will more vulnerable to UV exposure and UV radiation as they are still developing.
- Make sure that you child wears 100% UV protective sunglasses that will block all UV A and UV B radiation
- Keep your child aware of the dangers of the sun and their eye health
Lens
Children’s lenses are usually made from polycarbonate or Trivex, as they are safe, impact-resistant and scratch-resistant, and lighter than traditional plastic lenses. These lens materials additionally have built-in UV protection.
If your child needs strong lenses which may be thicker, try to find frames that are thin so that the glasses overall won’t be too bulky.
Frames
As young children in particular won’t have fully developed noses, you’ll need to find frames with a bridge that will prevent the glasses from slipping down. You can find both metal and plastic frames that have adjustable nose pads for a comfortable fit.
Though plastic frames were previously popular for their durability, resilience, and the fact that they are lightweight, there are also metal frames that now have the same qualities and are suitable for children.
Frames with spring or flex hinges may be better for your child’s comfort and everyday use. These hinges use a small spring that provides a greater range of movement for the frame arms, so they’ll be more resilient.
Style
Wearing glasses may make your son or daughter more self-conscious at school, so go for a style that won’t make them look ‘un-cool’. You can opt for a variety of different colours, designs and features such as lenses that become tinted outdoors, which will make their glasses more appealing for them and that they’re happy to wear every day.
The summer holidays is the perfect time to book an appointment with your optician and keep your child’s eyes healthy. To book an appointment with Optimum Vision Clinic, you can call 0118 981 0267, email [email protected] or use our online contact form at optimumvisionclinic.co.uk.