The Little Aussie Eyes Report 2021 is now available.

A report on kids' vision. 

In 2020 Kids Eye Gear surveyed 450 Australian parents of children with vision issues. These were kids that wear prescription glasses, contact lenses or patch for a variety of medical reasons. The goal was to provide some useful insights into the world of kids that wear glasses and have to patch.

In 2021, the Little Aussie Eyes Report was extended to survey 860 Australian parents in order to gain a broader understanding of kids’ vision in the community. The purpose of this was to ascertain attitudes towards vision testing, identify any blockages that parents had when it came to vision testing for their children, and revisit some behaviours when it came to kids wearing glasses and patching.

Here at Kids Eye Gear we hope to contribute to education about vision screening and eye testing for children, as well as long term eye safety and health.

Here's a quick snapshot of some of the report findings. Want to check out the full report? Just hit the link at the bottom of the page.

How many kids have visited an optometrist?

Although around two thirds of parents have taken their children to see an optometrist, there are still a large portion that have not had their child screened. 

1 in 3 kids wears prescription glasses

Of those that had taken their child/ren to an optometrist, 34% had at least one child that wears prescription glasses.

Children have a loud voice when it comes to glasses selection

There are many factors that are considered when it comes to purchasing kids’ glasses. Parents want to know they can trust the optometrist and that the script they’re receiving is accurate – but this is then balanced by finding a frame that their child will like and will also offer value for money.

Children have considerable voice when it comes to glasses selection, with the child’s feelings towards the frames being a key driver for selection.

Looking Forward

Educating parents on the importance of having their children’s eyes tested from as young as 6 months of age – or at least prior to starting school – is a vital step in improving childhood vision.

Parents appear to predominantly wait until their child is starting school – or until symptoms or signs present – before taking their child for an initial assessment. It is important to help parents understand that children may not always have visible symptoms of an underlying vision issue – so early screening is a must.

We look forward to continuing the Little Aussie Eyes Report in 2022 to further identify broader vision issues in the community, so we can assist with encouraging greater education and outcomes.

ACCESS THE FULL REPORT HERE

WANT TO JOIN OUR COMMUNITY?

We'd love to have you join our community!

Are you a parent of a child that patches or wears glasses? Sign up HERE!

Are you an eyecare professional? Sign up HERE!

If you are interested in investigating particular areas of the research, feel free to contact us at nicola @ kidseyegear.com.au