Eye Exams - Teens..... ages 13-18

Why should teenagers have their eyes examined?

No, it’s not because they forget to empty the dishwasher or pick-up their clothing. Teenagers have increased visual demands that require regular eye health and vision examinations by an optometrist.

Increased near-point strain from tablets, computers and books, plus smart board demands in the classroom can all lead to eyestrain. Optimal eyesight can help to reduce avoidance of near-point activities and improve concentration in the classroom. Teenagers can also benefit from the latest non-glare lenses to help reduce reflections and visual fatigue from overhead lights. Competition in sports also increases at this age and children already wearing eyeglasses may now benefit from using contact lenses.

Your teenager may also be working their way towards a driver's license, and you want to make sure that they meet the visual driving requirements and are safe to operate the family car.

These annual eye exams are covered under Alberta Health Care and we recommend that parents and teenagers take advantage of this health benefit.

Eye Exam Cost: Teenagers…Ages 13-18

Cost: Paid by Alberta Health Care
Frequency: Every 6-12 months

 

What’s included in my eye exam?

Our optometrists take routine eye exams one step further to ensure that you leave understanding your teenagers eye health and their vision solutions. Teenage eye exams include the following:

  • computerized visual field screening,

  • retinal photography,

  • digital retinal imaging screening with OCT technology to look under your retina to screen for early signs of eye disease,

  • a review of school, sports and hobbies for specialized visual requirements

  • a detailed medical history of eye-related conditions

  • a detailed ocular history (personal and family)

  • a thorough eye health examination,

  • puff-less eye pressure check when required,

  • A thorough vision examination with digital auto-refraction and manual refraction for eyeglasses,

  • A review of our findings and recommendations at the conclusion

  • A copy of your eyeglass prescription

For information on eye exams for children (ages 0-12), please visit our Children's Eye Exam section.

Teens & Contact Lenses

Teenagers often begin to express interest in wanting to wear contact lenses. Contact lenses can safely be worn by teens of any age; however, contact lenses are best for those with a willingness to care for and wear contact lenses properly. During a contact lens fitting appointment, an eye-bar optometrists will work with your teen to show him or her how to insert, remove and care for their contact lenses. Prescriptive eyewear however is still very important because eyes do need a break from contact lenses. 

Teens & Prescription Eyewear

We typically find a cool pair of eyeglasses are key to teens actually wearing their eyeglasses at home and at school. At eye-bar, we travel all over the world (Paris, Milan, New York, Las Vegas) to bring the very best eyewear collections to eye-bar. Beyond sourcing cool, stylish and on-trend frames, we pay special attention to the fit. Often teens require a smaller fit of frames. We completely understand price is an important consideration when purchasing frames for teenagers. At eye-bar, we promise you’ll find a great frame offering the best vision possible at an affordable price.

Teenagers & Driver's License

Getting a driver's license is a very exciting rite of passage for teenagers. Vision      should be evaluated prior to obtaining a driving license to ensure optimal      acuity for daytime and night time driving. Anyone receiving a driver’s license requires a basic vision screening before getting your Alberta operator’s license. These vision screenings however only test for the minimum vision standards, and do not take into account varying driving conditions. At eye-bar, we believe everyone needs to keep the roads safe by ensuring optimal vision for driving at any time of the day, during a multitude of conditions including darkness, sunlight and more.

Teens & Sunglasses

Until we reach our 20s, our eyes will let in way more damaging light than older eyes will throughout the rest of their lifetime. Ultraviolet light is the main culprit (primary sources are the sun and reflected sunlight on water, sand, snow and roads). This makes sunglasses essential for protecting young eyes. Every teenager should own a pair of quality sunglasses. For sports, we highly recommend our line-up of Oakley sunglasses, which also provide added eye protection.

* If you do not have Alberta Health Care, standard professional fees apply