Faith Donaldson Optometrists

Kids Eyecare

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Your child's sight is precious.

At Faith Donaldson Optometrists we pride ourselves on providing family eye care.

1 in 5 kids have an undetected eye problem, often accompanied by warning signs such as sitting too near to the television, or holding a book close up. Children’s eyes are continually developing and so it is important all children are tested at least before primary school and regularly thereafter. We can screen children for high amounts of refractive error, squints and lazy eyes from an early age. Your child is never too young to have an eye examination.

When children are young they do not readily recognise when their vision is changing and so we recommend that children have an eye examination every year -especially if one or both parents need glasses. All children’s eye examinations, with retinal photography, are free under the NHS system every 12 months (or more frequently if there is a clinical reason for this).

We strive to make this a fun and enjoyable experience, using cartoons and picture test charts to interest even the youngest patients using our computerised Thomson Expert 2000 chart.

For children with visual distress syndrome such as dyslexia the chart allows single rows or columns to be shown to prevent crowding phenomena. The chart includes Kays pictures which are particularly suited to children or those with learning difficulties.

Kids & Sport.

Don’t forget your kids when it comes to sport. Sports such as rugby and football can easily throw up dirt and grit into the eyes, squash or tennis can risk orbital injuries and indeed many schools now insist child who wear glasses must use sports goggles to protect their eyes during sport. We offer a wide range of sporty prescription wraparounds, in a wide variety of styles, sizes and colours.

If your child enjoys swimming, a pair of prescription swimming goggles will help protect their eyes against over-exposure to chlorine and enable them to see clearly. These are adjustable and so will continue to fit as your child grows. Contact Lenses may be another option?

Kids in the Sun.

Remember to protect the kids on holiday too; the lens in their eyes are clearer than adults and so actually allow even more of the harmful UV rays into the back of their eyes. We provide prescription sunglasses in a wide range of styles.

Kids Eyewear.

We are delighted to offer a fashionable range of kids and teens frames free with the NHS voucher scheme. Alternatively, for an additional charge, they can select frames from our other exciting children’s range, all available at an affordable price.

We are excited to offer the new Hannah Montana range along with our current StarWars, Batman, Whizzkids and Simpson ranges to name a few.

Remember it is free under the NHS and we have a large range of free glasses for children.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old does my child have to be before they can have their eyes tested?

Children can be tested at any age. It is recommended that an optometrist sees them before they start school and start learning to read. Often, vision problems can be the reason a child does not perform well at school, for example because they cannot see the board. The earlier a problem is detected the more chance there is of successful treatment. Children’s eyes are fully developed by the time they are 8 years old so it is very important to have any problems detected before this.

Why does my child need to go to an optometrist when they have their eyes checked at school?

• Only 60% of schools now provide eye tests.
• Poor sight can be misattributed to special needs.
• 1 in 5 children have an undetected eye problem, which can be easily found by an optometrist during an eye test.

However, when they are checked at school, it is not a full eye test. Their distance vision is normally checked but this will not detect all levels of long-sight. Short sight and large squints may be detected, but the school checks are not usually carried out by an eye care professional. For a full eye test you should book an appointment for your child with us. If left undetected for too long, some sight defects cannot be corrected.

What are the signs of poor eyesight in children?

Some of the most common symptoms that could indicate your child may be experiencing problems with their sight are:

• Sitting too close to the television.
• Looking cross eyed.
• Holding a book too close to their face when reading.

If detected early enough we can ensure children’s eye problems have a minimum impact on their lives.

What is included in a children’s eye test?

At Faith Donaldson Optometrists our children’s eye test covers keys areas including:

• Child health and family history.
• A thorough, personalised eye test adapted to your child’s age and capabilities.
• Your child’s vision (tested with child friendly charts & cartoons) is compared to expected levels of development and growth.
• Relevant health checks carried out by looking inside the eyes. (include digital photography where appropriate)
• Investigation regarding squints and ‘lazy eyes’.
• Eye muscle balance checked to ensure correct coordination.
• Additional tests including colour vision and 3D vision.

How much does it cost for a child’s eye test and glasses?

All children under 16 qualify for an NHS voucher entitling them to a free eye test.

In addition if your child needs glasses they will also qualify for an NHS voucher that enables them to choose free frames from a selected range. Alternatively, for an additional charge, they can select frames from our other exciting children’s ranges, all available at an affordable price.

My children keep breaking their glasses, what can I do to prevent this?

Children’s glasses take a lot of ‘wear and tear’. Following the simple steps below can help prolong the life of their glasses;

• Glasses should always be taken off with both hands to stop them bending out of shape.
• Never put glasses ‘lens down’ on surfaces, as they may scratch.
• Always keep glasses in a case when they are not being worn.
• Clean glasses daily for clearer vision.