Children's Eye Care in Canterbury
Comprehensive eye care for growing eyes, from early childhood through the school years.
A child’s vision plays an important role in how they learn, move through their environment and develop visual skills. A comprehensive eye examination looks beyond whether your child can see clearly on an eye chart, assessing their eye health, focusing ability, eye coordination and prescription.
Our optometrists take a child-friendly approach and tailor the examination to your child’s age, needs and ability to participate.
Does My Child Need an Eye Examination?
Children don’t always realise that the way they see isn’t typical, so they may not complain about blurred or uncomfortable vision. An eye examination can identify vision and eye health concerns even when a child appears to be seeing normally.
Consider booking an examination if your child:
- squints or closes one eye to see
- sits very close to screens or books
- has difficulty seeing the board at school
- frequently complains of headaches or tired eyes
- avoids reading or close work
- has difficulty concentrating on visual tasks
- has an eye that turns in or out
- has a family history of significant vision problems
- has noticed a change in their vision
Good vision and comfortable visual skills are important for children as they read, write, use screens, play sport and learn at school.
If you’re simply unsure, that’s also a good reason to talk to an optometrist.
Myopia in Children
Myopia, or short-sightedness, is becoming increasingly common in children. Children with myopia can see close objects clearly but may have difficulty seeing things in the distance, such as the classroom board.
Myopia often develops and progresses during childhood. If your child is becoming more short-sighted, our optometrists can monitor changes in their prescription and eye growth and discuss options to help slow myopia progression.
Supporting Healthy Vision at Home
- Encourage regular outdoor time.
- Encourage breaks during prolonged close work and screen use.
- Make sure reading and screens are at a comfortable working distance.
- Ensure your child has good lighting for reading and close work.
- Arrange regular eye examinations, particularly if there is a family history of myopia or your child’s prescription is changing.
What Happens During a Children's Eye Test?
Our optometrists tailor each examination to the child’s age, development and individual needs. Depending on the child, an examination may include:
- distance and near vision
- assessment of their prescription
- focusing ability
- eye coordination and binocular vision
- eye movements
- colour vision
- eye health
- assessment for myopia and other refractive errors
- retinal imaging and other diagnostic tests where appropriate
Not every child needs every test. Your optometrist will determine which assessments are appropriate for your child’s age, symptoms and individual needs.
Experienced Children's Eye Care
Our optometrists have experience caring for children across different ages and visual needs, from early childhood through the school years. Genevieve and Laura have a particular interest in children’s vision.
We understand that an eye examination can feel unfamiliar for young children. Our optometrists take the time to explain what they’re doing, work at the child’s pace and adapt the examination to their age and comfort level.
We want children to feel comfortable asking questions and for parents to understand what we’re assessing and why.
We have a child friendly guide to visiting Canterbury Eyecare
Children's Eye Care FAQs
When should my child have their eyes tested?
Children can have their eyes tested at any age. An eye examination may be recommended earlier if you have concerns about your child’s vision, eye health or visual development.
Children don’t always realise that the way they see isn’t typical, so an eye examination can be valuable even when they haven’t complained about their vision.
We recommend all children have an eye exam between 3 and 5 years of age, however children can be seen at any age, if you have concerns.
Can children have myopia management?
Yes. We provide myopia management for children and teenagers who are short-sighted or at risk of developing or progressing myopia.
Your optometrist will assess your child’s eyes and discuss appropriate management options based on their age, prescription, eye growth, lifestyle and individual circumstances.
How do I know if my child may have a vision problem?
Signs can include squinting, sitting close to the television or holding books very close, difficulty seeing the board at school, headaches, avoiding reading, reduced concentration or difficulty with activities that require good visual skills.
However, some children with vision problems may show few obvious signs. A comprehensive eye examination is the best way to assess your child’s vision and eye health.
How do I choose glasses for my child?
The right glasses should provide clear vision while being comfortable, secure and suitable for your child’s everyday activities.
We can help you choose frames that suit your child’s prescription, face shape, lifestyle and personal preferences, as well as appropriate spectacle lenses.
Common Eye Conditions in Children
Possible conditions that may occur in children are usually vision based, however, a child may not know their vision issues to be out of the ordinary. Some may be more prevalent where there is a family history of that condition.
Myopia, or shortsightedness, is an eye condition which can occur at any age, but commonly develops in school aged children and teenagers. In this age range it is common to progress rapidly meaning throughout life more reliance on glasses or contact lenses and a higher risk of eye diseases such as Glaucoma and Retinal Detachments.
Research spanning decades into speciality contact lenses, topical medications and glasses designs has enabled Optometrists to now prescribe options to slow the progression of myopia. Click here for more information about the management of myopia in children and teenagers or book an appointment to have a consultation with one of our optometrists.
Hyperopia may also be called long-sightedness or far-sightedness. In most cases it causes blurry vision or eye strain when focusing on anything nearby, however, those with significant longsightedness will find all distances blurry.
It may develop from birth or in the early years of a child’s life. Click here for more information on Hyperopia.
Astigmatism is a common eye condition which causes fine detail, at any distance, to appear smudged, ghosting or doubling. People who are long-sighted or short-sighted often also have astigmatism, or astigmatism can occur by itself.
Rarely if astigmatism is caused by an eye disease, surgery may be necessary. Click here for more information on Astigmatism.
Strabismus, more commonly known as an eye turn, may occur in the first 6 months of a child’s life, or in their early childhood years.
It is commonly caused by high levels of prescription and when detected and treated early, can be managed effectively.
Amblyopia is the term for one, or both eyes, that are “lazy” or have vision below what is expected for that child’s age. It can be in association with a turned eye, or just due to differences in the prescription between eyes. Rarely it is caused by eye disease.
With early intervention vision can be improved. Commonly the use of glasses or contact lenses and patching or eye drops are used to treat Amblyopia.
Visual Fatigue generally refers to the symptoms caused by focusing disorders. In Children they may present differently to adults.
A child may skip lines or have poor attention when reading, they may have see two of what they’re reading or be increasingly fatigued and get headaches towards the end of a school day. These can be due to extended near work, eye muscle abnormalities or not wearing prescription glasses or contact lenses when they’re needed.
