In another of their helpful columns on eyesight, ROSS COLLINS and DAMIEN LONERGAN, of Evolve Optometry, focus on eye checks for children.

HOW do you know if your child needs their eyes checked? Kids often don’t know that their vision is blurry. They don’t know what other people can see, and often just assume that everyone sees exactly the same as they do. 

So, what should you be on the lookout for? 

Some vision problems can present with symptoms that seem completely unrelated to eyes. For example, things such as headaches can be caused by many things, and vision is one of them. 

Words that move on the page, trouble with letter and number reversals, trouble tracking from one line to the next can often be a vision problem, though not always. 

If your child is noticing any of these problems, or if their teacher has noticed anything, it might be a good idea to have their eyes checked by an optometrist who is interested in children’s vision. 

Even if there are no symptoms that you, your child, or your child’s teacher have noticed, it is still worth having their eyes checked. 

Learning is an intense visual task, so any small problems can build over time and cause much larger problems in later years. It is with this in mind that we recommend all children have an eye test in their early years of school and then at regular intervals during schooling to try and detect any problems early. 

Particularly of concern is childhood myopia. The worldwide trend is for more and more children to develop myopia, and for those who do to develop it at a younger age. This is of concern as myopia can lead to health problems with eyes later in life, and the risk increases with every increase in the amount of myopia. 

At Collins and Lonergan Evolve Optometry we have access to spectacle lenses and contact lenses specifically designed to reduce the progression of myopia, as well as the equipment to accurately measure and monitor the progression and the health
of the eyes.

Myopia is just one of the conditions that can affect your child’s vision. The best way to find out if there are any problems is to book an eye test. If there are no problems found then you get the peace of mind of knowing that, but if there is an issue discovered then something can be done about it. 

Collins and Lonergan Evolve Optometry is an independently owned Optometrist in the centre of Gungahlin. We are conveniently located opposite Coles inside Gungahlin Village. 

Call 6189 5891 or visit evolveoptometry.com.au to book an appointment. Shop G17, Gungahlin Village, 46-50 Hibberson Street, Gungahlin.