Children have a variety of different specialised needs that separate them from their adult counterparts, which is why there are whole branches of medicine specifically aimed at treating children's needs. They are still growing and developing many of their most basic faculties, so it is important that any medical care takes that into consideration. Nowhere is this more obvious than at a children's optometrist. Here are a few reasons why a children's optometrist is so different from their adult variants and why that matters for your child's eyecare moving forward.
Behavioural Optometry
Behavioural optometry is an important tool in diagnosing exactly what problems, if any, your child has with their vision. Because children cannot always communicate in a clear and concise manner what their problem is, children's optometrists have had to improvise and come up with ways to get at the heart of the problem. Behavioural optometry is a tool used to measure your child's focus in real-world, practical situations By using this approach, you get a much better understanding of your child's vision than you would by simply putting them through the same tests that adults have.
Calming Environment
Visiting a children's optometrist is a very different experience to going to a regular, adult optometrist and for a good reason: children react much more adversely to stressful situations. If you want an accurate reading, then you need the child to be relaxed and feel like the optometrist is their friend. That is why many optometrists who work with children go through special training and also have an office environment that is much more welcoming with pretty colours and fun activities to do in the waiting room. While there is no pain involved in an eye exam like there might be at the dentist, there are still a lot of bright lights and weird machinery that could scare children, which is why these precautions are necessary.
Treatment For Infants
Apart from just treating children who can already talk and socialise, many children's optometrists also work with non-speaking infants and babies. This presents even more of a challenge as there is no communication whatsoever, but there are still some tools optometrists have that can help illuminate any problems. By seeing how the eyes react to light, you can tell whether they are functioning well, and by testing the baby's focus and reactions, you can get even more of an idea. A lot of this is trial and error, but with a patient optometrist, you will always get to the bottom of your child's vision problems, no matter how young.
Contact a clinic like Eye & l to learn more.
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