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  • What Happens At A Child's Eye Test?
    We know that eye tests can be a little overwhelming for some children — especially if it’s their first time. That’s why we’ve made the process as enjoyable and child friendly as possible. Children’s eye tests are a little different from those for adults. We use specially designed charts that allow children to recognise shapes or pictures, or even to match letters, rather than the traditional charts that you may be familiar with. This means that we can test children’s eyes even if they are unable to read or recognise letters. Our opticians are specially trained to test children’s eyes. They know that the test room can feel a little intimidating to a young child so will use techniques to make it feel as welcoming as possible. You will, of course, be able to stay with your child throughout the test so you can see everything that happens. Even though some of the equipment used in your child’s eye test is different, it doesn’t mean that your child’s eye test is any less accurate than an adult’s. In fact, great care is taken to ensure that it isn’t. As well as checking the eyes, our opticians also evaluate the muscles and associated structures to ensure they are healthy too.
  • When Should My Child Have An Eye Test?
    Your child's first eye check is usually at the end of their first year. They should then be retested before they start school by an Optometrist, who will pick up any problems that may lead to poor development at school. At primary school, your child's eyesight should be assessed by the local health board. However, only 60% of schools now provide eye tests, so it is important you register your child with an Optometrist.
  • Why Does My Child Have To Have An Eye Test At School And At An Opticians?
    Only 60% of schools now provide eye tests. Poor sight can be misattributed to special needs. 1 in 5 children have an undetected eye problem, which can be easily found by an Optometrist during an eye test. However, when they are checked at school, it is not a full eye test. Their distance vision is normally checked but this will not detect all levels of long-sight. Short sight and large squints may be detected, but the school checks are not usually carried out by an eyecare professional. For a full eye test you should take your child to a registered Optometrist. If left undetected for too long, some sight defects cannot be corrected.
  • What Are Signs Of Poor Eye Sight In Children?
    Squinting. Squinting may be a sign that your child has a refractive error , which affects how well the eyes focus on an image. By squinting, your child may be able to temporarily improve the focus and clarity of an object. Tilting head or covering one eye. Your child might cover one eye or tilt his or her head to adjust the angle of vision in an attempt to increase clarity. This might be an indication that the eyes are misaligned or that your child has amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, which is one of the most common eye disorders in children. Sitting too close to the television or holding hand-held devices too close to the eyes. Sitting too close to the television, holding hand-held devices too close to the eyes or lowering the head while reading are all possible signs of poor vision. People who have myopia, or nearsightedness, have clear vision at close range and poorer vision at a distance. Bringing an object closer makes an image bigger and clearer. Rubbing eyes excessively. Excessive eye rubbing may indicate that your child is experiencing eye fatigue or strain. This could be a sign of many types of vision problems and conditions, including allergic conjunctivitis . Complaining of headaches or eye pain. If your child complains about eye pain or headaches at the end of the day, he or she may be overexerting the eyes in an effort to increase focus of blurred vision. Having difficulty concentrating on school work. Because children need to quickly and accurately adapt their visual focus from distant to near and on a number of different objects ranging from chalkboards and computers to textbooks and tablets, vision problems may manifest as a lack of focus on schoolwork.
  • Is My Child Eligible For A Free NHS Test?
    All children under 16, or under 19 and in full-time education are entitled to a free NHS eye test.
  • What is the difference between OCT and an standard eye test?
    OCT is separate to an eye test. An eye test checks your eye health as well as how well you can see. Part of that often involves taking an image of the back of the eye (digital retinal photography), but an OCT scan takes this a step further, allowing your optician to look even deeper into your eyes and the structures within them. Essentially, an OCT scan gives your optician a clearer idea of your eye health when testing your eyes. If you look at the images below, the difference in detail is clearer to envision. Standard Fundus Image OCT Scan Image
  • What is an OCT?
    An optical coherence tomography scan (commonly referred to as an OCT scan) helps us to view the health of your eyes in greater detail, by allowing us to see what’s going on beneath the surface of the eye. Imagine your retina like a cake – we can see the top of the cake and the icing using the 2D digital retinal photography (fundus camera), but the 3D image produced from an OCT scan slices the cake in half and turns it on its side so we can see all the layers inside. Our opticians can then examine these deeper layers to get an even clearer idea of your eye health. OCT scans can help detect sight-threatening eye conditions earlier. In fact, glaucoma can be detected up to 5 years earlier than traditional imaging methods.
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