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Eye tests are an essential part of making sure your child has healthy eyesight. It’s important to find a good optometrist to help ensure their visual development is on track. It is crucial to have a paediatric optometrist that both you and your child can trust, as this is likely to be an ongoing relationship, with you and the optometrist working together to ensure that your child is at the right stage of their visual development.
Parents often wonder what makes a good optometrist and how they can find the right one for their children. Thankfully, there are a few simple tips to help you find an optometrist for kids you can trust.
Do your research
Even if you get some excellent recommendations from your friends and family, it is important to do your own research, particularly if you are going to narrow your search and eventually find the right optometrist for your child.
Online reviews are the simplest way to measure whether an optometry practice is trustworthy at a quick glance. You can spend some time reading individual reviews online, but it’s not advised to judge on their rating score alone. Either way, you should also consider the practice’s website. Do they have a page that tells you a bit about the team? Check that they seem knowledgeable about not just optometry, but also kids’ eye care specifically.
Check the experience and credentials of the optometrists
If you have found an optometry practice that seems reliable and trustworthy, the next step is to learn a bit more about the optometrists. What are their credentials like, and how much experience do they have conducting an eye test for kids?
When choosing an optometrist, you will want one that is experienced with children of all ages since the consultation process is vastly different based on the age, personality and maturity of your child. As you’ll likely be seeing your optometrist again when your child is older, it’s best to make sure that consultations and checkups go smoothly each time, as your child continues to develop. Having an optometrist that can ease nerves and help your child feel safe – or help an active child concentrate – will make all the difference.
Ask friends for recommendations
One of the best ways to find the best children’s optometrist in your area is with the people in your social circles. Where are your friends and family going for their kids’ eye tests? Are they satisfied with the appointments? Hearing about the personal experiences of the people you know is a great way to gauge whether their optometrist is the right one for you.
At Bayside Eyecare, our optometrists have years of experience with children’s eye care, having worked with kids of all ages. Our optometrists have also completed post-graduate studies in paediatric optometry. You can rest assured that your child’s optometrist is both qualified and has all the right experience.
Call ahead to learn about children’s eye tests
The next step you can take to help you decide how to choose an optometrist is to call the optometry practice and discuss what the experience will be like for your child. Different practices will have different methods, and having a child-friendly eye test will make the process more relaxing and fun, while minimising stress. It is also worth considering how the rest of the team is with children. Should your child require glasses, front-of-house staff may need to assist with frame selection and adjustments.
Choose the right location
Since you’ll be making regular visits over the years, particularly if you have multiple children, choosing a good optometrist that is convenient for you to get to is crucial.
Bayside Eyecare is easy to get to for Bayside residents, being located in Brighton, right across the street from Gardenvale Station. We have appointments available on Saturdays, after school and during the holidays so that a visit to your kids’ optometrist is never an inconvenience.
If you are ready to book an optometrist appointment for your child, get in touch with the team at Bayside Eyecare. Simply give us a call on (03) 9909 5329 or complete our online contact form to hear back from us soon.