CHILDREN'S EYECARE

At Reynolds & Slater Opticians, we provide specialist children’s eye care in Falmouth and Penzance, helping to protect and support young eyes as they grow. From comprehensive NHS-funded eye tests to a wide choice of comfortable and stylish children’s glasses, our experienced team ensures every child receives the best care in a friendly and welcoming environment. Trusted by families across Cornwall for over 40 years, we make eye health simple and reassuring for both parents and children.

Eyecare Health for Children

Good vision is essential in childhood development, and regular eye examinations are the key to good vision.

A child may not realise if their vision is not clear – they assume the way they see is normal. Therefore, regular eye examinations are advised for all children under the age of 16 at least once a year.

There are a number of eye conditions in children that we need to look out for. These tests will ensure that any childhood problems are picked up early to ensure they don’t get worse.

What's Involved in a Children's Sight Test

It doesn’t matter if your child is too young to talk or read a letter chart. There are a range of techniques and state-of-the-art equipment we use to detect visual conditions at any age.

In addition to checking their eyesight, we will also conduct an eye health assessment. We’ll use this to check their 3D vision development, eye muscles and focus.

The NHS provides free eye examinations for all children under 16. Then if your child needs glasses, they will also contribute to this.

Book an Appointment

Reynolds and Slater Opticians offer child and family eye care in Falmouth and Penzance, ready to ensure your child’s eye health. If you are ready, browse our eye examination options for pricing and more information on our different services.

FAQ's

Typical Warning Signs

  • One eye turns in, out, up or down
  • Complains of frequent headaches
  • Frequently rubs eyes or blinks a lot
  • Screws up eyes when reading or watching television
  • Avoids reading, writing or drawing
  • Has difficulty catching a ball
  • Fails to make expected progress at school
  • Develops behavioural or concentration problems at school

Eye Examinations for Children - More Info

Children should have their first eye examination by the age of four, sooner if any problems are suspected. The earlier a problem is detected, the more effectively it can be treated.

It doesn’t matter if your child is too young to talk or read a letter chart, as we use a range of techniques and modern equipment to detect visual problems at any age.

Such equipment used is a computerised test chart which allows us to use pictures, numbers, shapes as well as letters to check the child’s vision.

We provide free NHS eye tests for all children under 16 and those under 19 and in full-time education. If a child is found to need spectacles, a contribution is provided by the NHS.

Ultraviolet Light Protection For Children

Why kids glasses should offer the best UV protection

When it comes to letting their children play outdoors, most parents know how important it is to wear sunscreen, but the effect that Ultraviolet Radiation can have on their eyes is often overlooked.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is always there. All-year-round, all-day, whether it’s winter or summer, in sunny conditions or even on cloudy days when UV exposure can reach 70-75% at ground level. UV radiation actually has several beneficial effects for us, including vitamin D production via skin exposure. It also stimulates the production of melanin, your body’s own protection against sunburn that causes a tanned complexion.

However, if your unprotected skin is exposed to UV radiation for a prolonged period, it can cause damage such as photo-ageing, wrinkles, and in severe cases, skin cancer.

Why are children more sensitive to UVR?

Your child may have experienced painful sunburn after a day spent outside – a direct result of prolonged UV exposure. However, UVA and UVB are also known causes of skin cancer3 and eye diseases, and children are more susceptible to UVR damage for several reasons:

  • Children tend to spend more time outdoors, making their average UV exposure three times higher than that of an adult. 40-50% of lifetime UV exposure up to the age of 60 will happen before your child turns 204.
  • Melanin is the skin’s natural protective pigment.5 It effectively absorbs light and can dissipate absorbed UV radiation in the skin. Children’s skin contains less melanin.
  • The crystalline lens protecting the eye is more transparent in children. As a result, for children under the age of 10, over 75% of UVR is transmitted by the crystalline lens, compared to 10% of UVR in those older than 25 years.6

Don’t forget to protect your child’s eyes!

You’ve probably read a few parenting magazines, websites, children’s health blogs and social media posts where there’s a lot of focus on skin protection. It’s great to be aware of this, however, we tend to overlook the fact that excessive UV exposure can also be harmful to their eyes.

As mentioned already, the crystalline lens of a child’s eye allows more harmful UV rays through than the crystalline lens of an adult eye does. The sun can cause severe damage early on even though it may only present itself later in life in the form of cataracts (responsible for 48% of blindness worldwide) or photoaging.

30% off designer glasses

We offer a range of designer glasses suitable for children with a 30% discount.