With a return to school in 2023 it’s a great time to make sure your child has a clear vision of the learning opportunities for the year ahead.
Kids are spending more time with digital devices, and this can affect their vision.
Research shows that:
Short-sightedness (myopia) is increasing with digital device use, bringing greater eye health risks.
Children with vision problems have reduced attention capacity compared to their peers.
Children with learning problems commonly have vision problems which affect their learning.
Optometry can play an important role in assisting them to achieve better results.
A study of primary school children in Queensland showed that 25 per cent of those tested had confirmed vision problems, and these kids had lower NAPLAN scores than their peers.
Regular vision checks for all children are important.
At Yarra Junction Optical, the Optometrists have extensive experience in testing children’s eyes.
They take a broader approach to help a child’s vision and consider many individual functions that relate to the brain, ocular muscles and nerves, as well as psychology, learning ability and development.
What you need to do
Head to the website www.yarrajunctionopitical.com.au to book your child’s eye test online or give us a call on 5967 2065 and one of our friendly team will be happy to assist you.
Myopia in Children
Myopia, or short-sightedness, is an eye condition that makes it difficult to see distant objects clearly. Regular eye examinations give children the best opportunity of success in the classroom, sports field and playground.
Kids with myopia will have trouble seeing the board at school and it is known that kids with vision difficulties can fall behind their peers in school work. Aside from vision difficulties, there are also health implications for myopic patients due to their elongated eye. For kids, myopia tends to continue to worsen each year.
MiyoSmart Lenses are a new technology for managing myopia in children and been proven to reduce the progression of myopia by up to 60 per cent.
MiyoSmart lenses are only available to accredited independent optometrists and Yarra Junction Optical is pleased to be able to offer this lens option to their patients.
It is important for all children to have regular vision checks from an early age, and certainly during school years.
Parents should look out for signs of their children squinting, reporting headaches, rubbing their eyes and getting close to objects and/or the TV to see.
A visit to the optometrist will quickly show if there is a problem and a plan can be made to help.
It is recommended for children to:
Get a vision check – optometry visits are covered by Medicare and are painless and can even be fun.
Get outside – at least two hours per day is essential for kids, especially before the onset of myopia. Time outdoors has been shown to help prevent myopia from progressing.
Get some variety – reduce screen time or near-vision work and take breaks (remember the 20/20/20 rule – focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes).
Get further away – don’t hold books or devices close to the eyes and adopt a Harmon working distance (closed fist to elbow)
Get more sleep – ideally, more than nine hours per day for children. Staying up late in bed with a tablet or phone is a bad idea.
If you have any concerns or would like to book an appointment for your child please call the Yarra Junction Optical practice on 5967 2065.
