Spring is the universally agreed upon time of year where people tidy up their homes, their yards, their closets, et cetera. I do this too (particularly the garden!) and I also like to use Spring time to make sure my kid’s annual health “must-dos” are up to date. I book an annual physical with our family doctor, check in to make sure we are organized with upcoming dentist visits, and book an eye exam.
HealthLinkBC states that many experts recommend that children have their vision tested between the ages of 3 and 5 years, followed by annual exams to watch for changes. The Opticians at Opticanada at Westshore Town Centre are ready to meet the vision health needs of everyone in your family.
The process for adult exams and children’s exams aren’t all that different, but they are modified for children. If your child hasn’t had an eye exam yet, or they’re due for one, here’s what you can expect from the process:
- First, you’ll have a conversation to see if you have any concerns with your child’s vision.
- The Optometrist will use unobtrusive tools to examine both the inside and the outside of your child’s eye.
- The Optometrist will carry out a series of tests to measure the type and extent of any problems. Your child will be asked to choose between different lenses to see which ones help the quality and clarity of their sight.
- Eye movement and coordination are checked to make sure that both eyes are working together, and that undue stress is not being placed on the eye muscles.
- Next, the Optometrist will share with you the results of the examination and will determine if steps towards vision correction is necessary.
If your child is anxious about visiting an eye doctor, is a good idea to help set expectations before you go:
- Check out the library to find books where characters go to the eye doctor.
- Talk about what will happen during the test (see above), such as looking at pictures and charts.
- Explain that the Optometrist will ask questions, and there are no wrong answers.
- Let your child know that there may be eye drops, but no needles.
Hot Tip: Be sure to bring your child’s Care Card with you when you go for the eye exam. Eye exams for children under 19 years of age are fully covered by BC Medical with a valid Care Card.
Content sourced from opti-canada.com and healthlinkbc.ca