What you should know about a newborn baby's eyesight?
Any problems with your baby’s eyes or vision are much easier to treat while your baby’s eyes are still developing, and the earlier a condition is detected, the better.
Discover the Most Comfortable Lenses for Kids
Caring for children’s vision is a lot different than looking after your vision as an adult. During school years, in particular, children’s vision can play a huge role in growth and development. If a child’s vision needs some additional support, it’s important that those lenses offer a solution that is both comfortable and natural.
To promote healthy vision in school-age children, it’s key that as a parent you’re able to choose lenses that are optimised effectively for their visual and lifestyle needs.
Understanding children’s visual needs
Children today are more surrounded by digital devices than ever before, both at home and at school. What’s more, it’s at the cost of outdoor activities most of the time. The increase of digital screen use over playing outside may increase the risk of developing a refractive error, such as myopia or short-sightedness.
A child’s vision must be clear and sharp, primarily through school ages, as poor vision could be a factor in learning difficulties or falling behind.
Children’s visual needs can differ from an adult’s, as children have been found to move their eyes and look up more, resulting in children using a larger lens surface. At Essilor, we have identified three parameters that can help create a child’s single vision lens: morphology, object distance, and gaze direction.
Eyezen Kids lenses have been designed with these parameters and children’s visual needs in mind, meeting the unique demands of children’s vision. Ideal for those aged 6-12, Eyezen Kids lenses can help correct children’s vision to enjoy their daily activities with ease and comfort.
Protecting children’s vision
While children’s eyes are still developing, it’s important to get into good habits to protect and prolong their healthy vision. From a parent’s perspective, it can be helpful to recognise the signs that your child might have a vision problem, such as sitting closer to objects, squinting, rubbing their eyes or complaining of headaches.
It can make a difference if you try to encourage outdoor activities and limit your children’s screen time. When they are looking at screens, try to get into the practice of having the screen at a distance of at least 30cm. You can also change the brightness and increase text size so it is easier on your children’s eyes.
If you think your child does need lenses, get in touch with your local optician and they will be able to carry out some routine tests to check their vision. Your child may be eligible for a free NHS eye test, so make sure you ask your optician before booking an appointment.
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