If you suspect your child may suffer from poor vision, then on the page ‘Does my child need glasses?’ you can read about what you ought to pay attention to, and how you can assess your child properly.

Before the visit

Get ready to tell the eye doctor your perception of your child’s eyesight, as this can help the assessment.

• What do you think your child can see and cannot see?
• Does your child tip their head when focusing?
• Is your child sensitive to light or do they focus on light?
• Do they rub their eyes?
• Mention other health-related things, such as diagnoses, allergies, medication, or whether there are others in the family who have challenges with vision.

During the visit

After the examination, the eye doctor will explain their assessment of your child’s vision and possibly make a diagnosis. As parents, you may well be surprised by all the new information. Below is a list of the most important questions you can take along with you to the eye doctor to make sure you get answers to the most essential questions.

• What is the diagnosis?
• Was my child born with it or what caused the problem?
• Is it hereditary?
• What is the prediction for the future? Is it stable? Will it get better or worse?
• Can the diagnosis be treated – if so, how?
• Will glasses or contact lenses help?
• How much can my child see?
• Should special considerations be made e.g., regarding lighting at home?
• Are there any restrictions in terms of what my child can/is allowed to do?
• What else do I need to know?

After the visit

Contact the eye doctor if you have additional questions once arriving home, or if you need any answer repeated.