Your child’s sight is precious. Good vision helps them to learn, to play and to communicate with the world around them. Yet, there are hundreds of school-aged children in the UAE who have an undiagnosed vision problem.
Children’s eyes continue to develop until they reach the age of eight, so caring for a child’s eyes in the early years can help lay the foundations for good vision that lasts a lifetime.
There are lots of simple things that you can do to help children of all ages keep their eyes and vision healthy.
Dr. Omar Fakhoury, a consultant ophthalmology with special interest in paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, shares his advice on how parents in Dubai can look after their children’s eyes including regular check-ups and what to watch out for.
What age should children start getting eye checks?
A qualified and experienced eye doctor can perform an eye examination on a child as young as six months old. This is the age a child should have their first eye examination. This should be followed with a checkup at three years old, which is the most important test in children.
Why are eye checks for children important?
Eye exams for children are very important to ensure your child’s eyes are healthy and have no vision problems that could interfere with school performance and potentially affect your child’s safety. Eye screening is critical in the detection of lazy eye or other causes of poor vision. These are often undetected as there are few outward signs. An early examination is very important for the efficacy of the treatment. After a certain age, treatments become inefficient and the problem will remain unsolved indefinitely.
How often should they have an eye check?
School-aged children should have an eye exam at least every two years if no vision correction is required. Children who need eyeglasses should be examined annually or as recommended by your eye doctor.
What can a child expect from an eye exam?
Specifics of how eye exams are conducted depend on your child’s age, but generally an exam will include a case history, vision testing, determination of whether eyeglasses are needed, testing of eye alignment, an eye health evaluation and, if needed, prescription of eyewear. Sometimes the doctor will use eye drops to dilate the pupil during the exam. This gives your ophthalmologist a fuller view inside the eyes and an accurate estimation of the refractive errors.
What should parents ask during the eye exam?
Talk with your eye doctor about protecting the eyes of your children from ultraviolet (UV) and blue light. Ask if there are special sunglasses or tints they should try with their particular type of eye condition. Ask if the doctor has literature that you can take home to read and share with your family.
Remember that the more you know about their vision, the better able you are to seek appropriate solutions, support, and benefits.
For more on health and wellbeing for kids in the UAE click here.
