Kids' Vision

Regular eye examinations are essential for children, even when there are no obvious symptoms. As kids grow, their visual system develops rapidly — and with more time spent indoors on screens, the risk of binocular vision issues and blurred vision continues to rise. Early, timely eye checks allow us to detect, diagnose and manage any concerns well before they affect your child’s learning, comfort or confidence in the classroom. Jamilla, principal optometrist and mum herself, is highly experienced in detecting problems and treating children. 

What is assessed in a kids' eye examination? We use various lenses, prisms and charts to assess:

• Visual acuity: how small they can read on the letter chart. If they are not confident with letters, we use a symbol matching test. 
• Eye teaming efficiency: how quickly, smoothly and accurately the eyes focus when working together. 
• Accommodative facility: the eye's ability to "autofocus" when viewing far and close range. 
• Refractive error: the amount of defocus, whether long-sighted, short-sighted or have astigmatism.
• Colour vision deficiency: how accurately can they distinguish between colours
• Eye health: we assess the health of the structures at the front and back of the eyes for developmental anomalies using light scopes and digital retinal imaging to help us track for changes as your child's eyes develop. 
• Further examination with cycloplegic eyedrops: eye muscles in children are very flexible. A further appointment may be necessary with cycloplegic eye drops to accurately assess your child's refractive error, if their vision results are variable. Cycloplegic eyedrops temporarily relax the eye muscles, so the eye's "autofocus" is switched off. This enables a stable measurement of refractive error, leading to accurate spectacle prescriptions and a complete picture of your child's vision. Normal side effects of cycloplegic eyedrops include blurred vision and strong glare, which can last 24hrs. If this is required, we advise parents to ensure the child has a restful day, on the day following this appointment.