Your children’s eyes may not be top of your ‘back to school’ concerns, but it’s a logical time to think about getting them tested. Children’s eyes continue to develop until they reach the age of eight. Caring for a child’s eyes in the early years can prove really beneficial to their vision in later years.

Vision Problems

Believe it or not, research indicates that around 20% of all school-aged children have an undiagnosed vision problem. [i] Left undetected these issues can significantly affect a child’s development and education. Here are a few signs that your child may be having problems with their eye sight.

  1. Squinting
  2. Covering one eye or tilting their head
  3. Sitting close to the TV, or bringing a device or book very close to their face
  4. Excessive eye rubbing
  5. Eye pain or headaches
  6. Sensitive to light
  7. Struggling to concentrate at school
  8. Losing their place when they are reading
  9. Dislike of reading

Some eye conditions do not display any signs or symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to take your child for a sight test. The NHS recommended that children have regular eye tests at least once every 2 years. Children under the age of 18 in full time education are entitled to NHS-funded sight tests (covering the cost of a sight test) plus an optical voucher which entitles you to help towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses if required.

Eyewear

If your child does need to wear glasses, you don’t need to worry. There are so many choices for kids that are both comfortable and great looking, that shopping for new frames can be a fun experience. Letting your child be involved in the buying process can go a long way to ensuring they’re happy to keep the glasses on once they’ve been bought too!

One of our favourite brands for children’s eyewear are Tomato Glasses, a brand born out of a father’s desire to help his son by putting an end to heavy, bulky children’s frames that kept falling off his son’s face. Tomato use non-toxic materials and the frames are flexible, durable and incredibly light. Not only that but they are adjustable around the ears and nose allowing correct placement and ensuring comfort. You can watch the heart-warming story of how Tomato started here.

Slightly older children might like the sophisticated look of Whiz Kids or the Cub range from Wolf, which are not only stylish but durable too. And not forgetting Lazer, a really wallet friendly range offering great value for money.

Protection

Got a little water baby on your hands? Prescription swimming goggles for kids will ensure they don’t get put off splashing about in the water and most importantly it ensures they are safe too.

And of course, let’s not forget about sunglasses too. Protecting your child’s eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays may lower the risk of adult eye problems like cataracts later in life. Children’s eyes are more susceptible to UV and HEV radiation. This is because the lens inside a child’s eye is less capable of filtering high-energy rays, and is especially true for younger children. So it’s sensible for kids to wear protective sunglasses outdoors as early in life as possible.

Children’s Eyes

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more information on your children’s eyes.

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[i] Data from Professor David Thomson, City University, London via The Association of Optometrists