Our team speaks a number of languages including
Our team speaks a number of languages including
Our children use vision to explore the world and learn just about everything. It’s important to have your child’s eyesight examined, particularly at key moments in their lives.
These milestones include when they turn three and a half years old and then before starting their formal schooling. It’s recommended to get further examinations after a few years of school, then again before high school begins. Finally, you should have your child tested as they prepare to commence VCE or IB.
Give your child the best opportunities to learn by ensuring their eyesight is the best it can be.
The vast majority of learning in schools is through visual communication, meaning that your child will be at a significant disadvantage if they struggle with their eyesight. That’s why an eye test for children is so important.
While a single kid’s eye test can help identify problems early on, children’s eyes are constantly developing. By getting regular eye tests, you can rest assured that your child’s vision is always at its best.
Many Australian children have undiagnosed eye problems because they don’t know any different, so they are unlikely to verbalise when they are struggling. The only way to know for sure is through a professional eye test.
Some common eye conditions include strabismus (more commonly known as crossed eyes), astigmatism, short-sightedness, long-sightedness and amblyopia (lazy eye).
A few of the most common signs are straining eyes or head tilting to see better, closing one eye while reading or watching television, as well as regularly getting too close to objects.
One of the more serious signs is a white reflex in the pupil, particularly noticeable in photographs. This is often a sign of a much more serious issue and should be investigated by an optometrist immediately.
We all want the best for our children, which is why it’s important to choose an experienced eye doctor. Bayside Eyecare’s Rebecca Jamieson has extensive experience in children’s vision and vision-related learning problems. Rebecca is a trained optometrist with post-graduate qualifications in Behavioural Optometry. She’s had many years of assisting children and families with their visual needs. Rebecca is also a member of the Australian College of Behavioural Optometry.
Behavioural optometry isn’t just about assessing a child’s eyesight. Bayside Eyecare is a Brighton optometrist that recognises some children need more than just a prescription for glasses. We investigate your child’s visual skills and the effectiveness of visual learning in order to work out how your child’s eyes and brain work together to create vision.
In addition to glasses, your child might be given visual exercises in order to make sure their visual system is functioning optimally in the classroom.
If your child is having difficulties reading or learning, we recommend a visual perceptual assessment. This assessment will explore how your child’s brain processes visual information, allowing you to make the best decisions going forward.
The optimal time for an appointment is dependent on your child’s age. Appointments take up to 45 minutes and are designed to keep children engaged and happy.
For school children, we recommend after school hours, as fatigue will make it easier to detect potential problems. Younger children are best seen when they are most alert.
(03) 9596 1238
