Children's Vision Exams in Burleigh Waters & Tweed Heads

Children face unique visual demands crucial to their development and learning needs, including learning to read and write, following along in the classroom, and developing their motor skills when creating art or playing games. Eyesight typically refers to the ability to see an eye chart on a wall, while vision quality refers to the ability to accomplish necessary, age-appropriate tasks.

At our Gold Coast eye clinics, located in Burleigh Waters and Tweed Heads, we take a special interest in ensuring your child has the vision clarity necessary to learn and thrive in every way possible.

At Envision Optical, we believe that preventing the development of eye conditions is preferable to treating the symptoms later. By implementing in-depth children's vision assessment, we aim to:

• Prevent vision problems from developing or progressing
• Treat existing eye and vision issues
• Ensure vital vision for classroom work, reading, writing and playing sports

Vision quality enhances and promotes proper learning and participation in play or sport. Each child who visits our eye clinics will receive a full vision assessment to determine if any developmental or sight deficiencies exist, so we can address them right away.

Such treatments may include:

• Spectacles to improve vision
• Eye and coordination exercises
• Digital device limitations
• Increased outdoor sports and play

Your child’s teacher may notice the telltale signs of vision problems in the classroom, but parents need to know the signs of vision problems.

• Squinting or squeezing the eyes to see far away objects
• Daydreaming or drifting
• Lack of interest in learning
• Unusual redness in the eyes
• Sores on the eyelids
• One eye seems to turn away or toward the other
• Excessive rubbing of eyes
• Complaints of pain or discomfort
• Avoids bright light 
• Difficulty learning age-appropriate information

When Should My Child Have Their First Eye Exam?

We recommend you bring your child in for their first exam at the start of school and every two years afterwards. If you notice problems sooner, we encourage you to contact our eye clinics in Burleigh Waters or Tweed Heads so we can intervene early when your child is rapidly learning about the world around them.

We also offer advanced therapies for: 

• Convergence insufficiency
• Convergence excess
• Tracking disorders
• Accommodative dysfunction

What Is Convergence Insufficiency?

Convergence insufficiency means your child has trouble keeping the eyes focused in unison when doing close work. While this may be congenital, we find that visual fatigue is the main culprit.

Symptoms include:

• Decreased fine eye-to-hand skills
• Avoidance of up-close tasks
• Decreased attention to visually difficult tasks
• Headaches
• Red or sore eyes
• Occasional double vision
• Head tilting with close-up work

Your child’s optometrist in Burleigh Waters or Tweed Heads can customise therapy to help your child overcome this complication. Treatments may include eyeglasses or vision therapy.

What Is Convergence Excess?

Convergence excess means your child’s eyes focus closely—in front of the text or object.

Symptoms include:

• Strained eyes
• Headaches
• Double or blurred vision
• Feeling tired
• Insufficient recall of reading material
• Difficulty copying from the blackboard

Treatment requires prescription eyewear, close monitoring and sometimes therapy in our eye clinic and at home.

What Are Tracking Problems

Controlling eye movement is required for reading.

Children who have problems tracking lines may read slowly. They may lose track or leave out words when reading aloud. This can interfere with comprehension and learning. You may also notice your child using a finger to follow the text in a book.

Poor tracking can be treated with specific vision therapies.

What Is Accommodative Dysfunction?

Accommodative dysfunction is a problem with the focusing system of the eye, particularly up close.

Your child may be able to see clearly in general but have difficulty focusing comfortably when reading.

Focusing problems generally are not muscle related. Occasionally, a child will not develop focus stamina in early childhood. However, in most situations, eye fatigue is the culprit.

The symptoms are similar to those found in convergence excess as is the needed therapy, including the use of spectacles.

Our Focus Is on Your Child’s Eyes

For Gold Coast children’s optometry in Burleigh Waters and Tweed Heads, we encourage your call.

Our optometrists and eye team can’t wait to meet you!