Children’s vision

Children's vision development is part of Eyes on Petone’s kids eyecare.
If your child needs glasses or contacts, we are the experts. We can also help with available government subsidies.

Children’s vision development

From when they are born, through to around age 8, a child’s vision is constantly developing. We recommend all children have their first eye exam around age 3 or 4 years. This pre-school eye examination is important to make sure their vision development is appropriate for their age.

New Zealand’s “B4 school” health check does include a brief vision screening, but it is only checking for basic clarity of distance vision. There is a lot more to vision development than just reading a letter chart.

More than 80% of the information children receive about the world comes from their eyes, so good vision is key to learning. Children need to have excellent vision to ensure they are getting the most from their education.

Kids’ eyecare

Kids don’t sit still in a chair and concentrate like adults do, so we tailor the consultation to the child. We make sure it is fun! Often we have children who we have seen before asking if they can do specific tests again, and a ride in the chair is also fun.

We have a pre-school consultation for children under 6, for which we allow half an hour. Sometimes they’ll need further testing but the child’s attention has usually waned after thirty minutes, so if necessary we see them again on another day.

For children from age 6, we have a student consultation which assesses their vision clarity and also their visual skills required for reading and success in the classroom. Parents are often amazed at how many vision tests their child can do!

We generally find that children seem to concentrate the best in the morning, so it’s best to make an appointment early in the day. However, parents will know what will work best for their visit with us.

What if your child needs glasses?

As optometrists, we’re careful when making recommendations for glasses, although those with higher prescriptions will require glasses. Wearing glasses does not make children’s vision dependent, rather it enables their vision to develop fully. In turn, this means they can see more clearly and comfortably.

Some children may have vision development that isn't quite at the level expected for their age. Our optometrists may monitor their vision development for some time, then make a recommendation for glasses if this plateaus.

Myopia Control (short sightedness)

If your child is short-sighted (myopic) it’s likely this will progress as they grow. For some children this happens slowly, while others have rapid vision changes.

Treatments that can slow the development of short sightedness include glasses for close work, low dose nightly eye drops used nightly, or soft daily disposable contact lenses.

We recommend all children with myopic parents be examined before the age of 6, to establish risks for further vision changes. These are individual approaches and we are happy to discuss these further with you.

Click here [myopia page] to read more about it.

Is there a subsidy?

There is a “Spectacle Subsidy” for children up to the age of 15, for families with a Community Service Card or children with a High Health user card. This subsidy can help cover the examination costs and towards glasses. Our staff can assist with the claim forms for this subsidy. We can also provide quotes for WINZ if required. Unfortunately, primary eye care is not covered by a government subsidy.

Can kids wear contacts?

Yes. If the child is keen for contacts, then so are we. They are great for active kids – from rugby to dancing, there are times when it just doesn’t work to wear your glasses. We teach the kids all they need to know to be able to handle their own contacts – with Mum, Dad or a caregiver alongside. We don’t set an age, but rather, if the parents think the kids are able, and responsible, then they usually are great with contacts.