All children under the age of 16 are eligible for an NHS sight test, and these are widely available at other opticians. However as a private practice our 30 minute appointments with an experienced optometrist are just £30.00.
We have child friendly tests to assess their vision, colour perception, eye muscle coordination and ocular health. Once old enough we also take retinal photographs or OCT scans if required.
We have a great range of children’s frames and provide free standard single vision lenses.
Regular eye examinations at least every two years are advisable throughout the teenage years. As we all know this period sees significant and frequent growth spurts and developmental changes. The eyes are no exception, the chances of developing short sightedness ( myopia ) in particular, are greater than ever before due to the negative effects of being superglued to their phones and tablets.
For healthy eye development current research indicates the benefits of minimizing close work, in particular screen time on hand held devices. Spending around 2 hours each day outside, preferably where long uninterrupted distances can be seen, is also advised.
A check at 17 before driving lessons start is always a good idea, to ensure safety and avoid disappointment on test day.
