Frequently asked questions

How young can children be to have their eyes tested?

We can test the eyes at any age, even newborns.

 

How do you test a baby’s eyes?

Dr Dunlop will ask you if you have eye contact with your baby. We use a special moving spot to grade how well the baby sees. Dr Dunlop will use light to check and measure the eyes.

 

How do you test children’s eyes?

With difficulty is the truthful answer. The challenging age is between 18 months and 2 years. Dr Dunlop uses many toys. Light is used to accurately measure baby and children’s eyes.

 

Once in glasses, always in glasses?

Not always. Long-sightedness will improve as the children grow. Short-sightedness unfortunately gets worse especially in the teenage years.

 

Is there any alternative to glasses?

Yes. In healthy babies and some older children with disabilities, eye drops may be an alternative to glasses. However you have to put them into both eyes each morning.

 

 

Operation Questions

When can my child swim after an operation?

Any droplets or splashes of water can carry infection into the eye. Dr Dunlop recommends no swimming for 1 month after strabismus operations.

 

Can my child wash their hair and have a bath?

Bath and shower water is less risky for infections. Wash around the eyes and use a cotton bud to clean the lashes. Avoid shampoo near the eyes.

 

When can my child go back to school?

The eyes are blurry with ointment. The brain needs time to learn the new eye position and learn judgement in space. Children learn this more easily than adults. Dr Dunlop recommends one week off school, returning to school on the Thursday, Friday of the following week after the operation.