I took my daughter to get her eyes checked last week. She just started grade prep, and it’s important to her own academic success to have perfect vision. When I was younger, my primary school brought in an optometrist to test all the kids every year. We all used to line up in pairs and then file into the sports hall, where they’d erected makeshift partitions to separate the people getting tested from the rest of the group. I distinctly remember going behind the curtain when it was my turn and a woman with a severe-looking face shining a bright light into my pupils.
Since schools don’t seem to offer that service anymore, I took my daughter to a Bayside optometry clinic. This clinic isn’t only conveniently located in our area; it also happens to be widely regarded as one of the best clinics in all of Melbourne. It’s surprisingly affordable, too. My daughter was bursting with excitement, which was a marked contrast to the way I felt whenever I had to visit an optometrist at her age. Even when the testing started, she was only curious and enthusiastic. I think she might have a career in optometry ahead of her!
I had specifically requested a children’s optometrist to see my daughter, and I’m really glad I did. This optometrist was gentle and had a kind, calm demeanour which immediately put me at ease. She explained that my daughter would need glasses, and took us over to the display section to choose a frame that suits her face. Luckily, my daughter only needs a low prescription to start with. Apparently, she is able to see just fine a lot of the time, but academically she may benefit from wearing glasses whenever she needs to read. In the end, I helped my daughter pick out a really cute pair of square frames. Make sure to check my social media for picture updates!