It’s fairly common knowledge that most people will, at some point, require corrective vision. But for a parent, it’s always tricky to know just how to go about assessing and managing a child’s vision. When children are still very young, there are actually surprisingly few opportunities to determine whether or not vision will become an issue (with the exception of extreme cases). But as your child ages a bit, you may begin to notice if his or her vision seems to be imperfect or problematic.
So what exactly are you to do if your child is showing signs of having poor vision? Here are a few tips for testing vision and finding solutions for your young child:
Conduct A Home Eye Test
You can conduct a home eye test in several ways, from printing out a standard test board (the ones with larger rows of letters descending into smaller ones) to simply holding up words and shapes at a short distance from your child. However, if you want a more professional assessment, Acuvue has several articles providing tips and measurements that can help you to complete a more accurate test. Being able to use official measurements and tests to assess vision will give you the clearest idea of what, if anything, your child requires for correction.
Assess Your Child’s Lifestyle
If your child does require corrective vision, you will want to quickly assess his or her lifestyle. Particularly young children will probably have to opt for glasses, at least for a couple of years, but optometrists actually tend to take young children on a case-by-case basis in terms of whether or not contacts are appropriate. More important is deciding if your child’s lifestyle suits one or the other. Generally, more active children will do more damage to glasses, which is worth considering.
Determine Your Child’s Preference
Once your child reaches a certain age, he or she will likely demonstrate a clear preference. Do try showing them options like Zoobug glasses, though, because they have particularly fun frames for kids to consider. Without those kid-oriented options, many young children will tend to think of glasses as too intellectual or “nerdy.”
Visit An Optometrist
Finally, once you have conducted a home assessment and determined which corrective vision method you believe will best suit your child, you should book an appointment with an optometrist. Don’t worry about your child having anxiety. Many kids actually enjoy trips to the eye doctor as it’s a more interactive and less invasive medical experience than a visit to your family physician! The optometrist can determine the proper prescription for your child and then take your needs and decisions into account in helping you to secure glasses or contact lenses.
In the end, the process is pretty simple and not unlike what you would use for yourself. It’s all about personal need and preference. However, parents must be aware of the importance of keeping tabs on their children’s vision, which means conducting a home test if necessary.
Rebecca x
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