Looking after your eyes

Can you see properly? Eyes don’t usually hurt when there is something wrong Your eye is still growing so checking your vision now can help you later on too Anyone can have eye problems If there is something wrong you might not know

Why get an eye test? Good eyesight is important - at school and at home If there are squints and lazy eyes in your family you might have them too Signs of problems could be: headaches, sitting too close to the television and rubbing your eyes a lot

Eye fact More than 80% of the information that we use to learn comes through our eyes

What happens? You go to the optician’s for an appointment at a specific time You go with your parents Most opticians are on the high street or in your local shopping centre The main part is a shop with lots of spectacles on the walls You see an optometrist in a separate room

Who do you see? The Optometrist is the person who tests you eyes The Dispensing Optician or assistant help you choose spectacles if you need them

Eye fact During the day your eyes use as much energy as your legs would need to walk 80 kilometres (50 miles) - about the same as walking for 16 hours without resting

Lots of questions... You will be asked lots of questions but they are easy to answer! The optometrist needs to know your name, age, health, family, hobbies and sports that you do

Healthy eyes The optometrist checks your eyes inside and out They use an ophthalmoscope to shine light into your eye They use other lights to look at the outside of your eye And lenses to check if your vision can be improved

Colour vision test Some people can’t see different colours They may confuse red and green They might not be allowed to do some jobs such as a pilot or train driver

Eye fact Goldfish see colours much better than cats

3D test Measures whether your eyes work together Makes sure you can see 3D Good 3D vision helps you see the world properly as well as movies and 3D television

Eye fact A chameleon can look in different directions at the same time but because its eyes are on opposite sides of its head it can’t see in 3D

Results If you don’t need spectacles you come back for a check up in 1 or 2 years If you need spectacles your optometrist will tell you when you need to wear them – perhaps for reading or watching television

What if I do need spectacles? Choose cool frames Wear you spectacles when you optometrist tells you to Get regular check ups when your optometrist tells you to

Look after your eyes Get outdoors – for a minimum of 1 hour a day Eat healthily and drink water

Eye fact Eagles can see up to 1 kilometre (1,000 metres). Their eyes have special retinas that allow them to see 8 times better than humans

Sun protection Protect your eyes from the sun – never look directly at the sun Always wear good quality sunglasses giving 100% UV protection

Eye fact A camel’s eyelashes are up to 10cm long to protect its eyes from wind-blown sand in the desert

Thank you