Children’s eye health and vision

This holiday season, with the kids out of school and into all sorts of summer fun and play - it is a good time to not only ensure they are wearing eye protection in the sun, but to also check their eye health and vision.

Ensuring that your child’s vison is clear and comfortable, is an excellent way to help set them up for their academic career at school. It is especially important to have their eyes checked by an Optometrist before they start school,

to ensure that any eye conditions are catered for going forward. The before school checks done in many areas of the country at pre-schools and primary schools, are great for picking up certain eye conditions such as amblyopia and myopia. Unfortunately, as the tests performed are only rudimentary, there are a lot of eye conditions and visual issues that are not picked up. This can cause children difficulty in vision, restrict their learning and can also affect their behaviour. The only way to ensure that all aspects of your child’s vision is checked is with a qualified optometrist. Wanganui Eyecare was the first Optometrist in New Zealand to use tinted lenses to help with reading and learning difficulties. These can benefit both adults and children.

Very commonly, those who experience learning difficulties have a contributing visual problem. For some, the letters on a page appear to move, or to blur. With others the white paper may glare and cause eye-strain or headaches.

These symptoms are commonly hallmarks of a condition called Meares-Irlen Syndrome. It is common in people who have visual coordination problems, but can occur in people with no major visual problems also.

Other conditions where tinted lenses are useful include:

• Migraine sufferers

• Some with diabetic eye disease

• Athletes

•Those with photosensitive epilepsy

A behavioural examination provides us on information on your unique visual system and its needs.

A colorimeter assessment then helps us find the best lenses for you. Manufactured by Cerium Visual Technologies; precision lenses are always custom and individually made.

If you think your child may benefit from having their vision checked, or they haven’t had an eye examination by a qualified optometrist before call Wanganui Eyecare on 06 345 4665. We have our behavioural optometrist John Mellsop who specialises in children’s vision, Dispensing Optician Michelle Burnett, who specializes in paediatric dispensing, along with the rest of our highly trained optometrists and optical consultants here to help your family find their best vision.