Quality Eyewear for Kids with Warranty!

We are absolutely thrilled to offer a fun pediatric environment with same-day service in our beautiful brand-new building conveniently located directly behind our 3rd Street location; there is parking both at the rear (lots of stairs though), as well as right off 4th Street.

20/20 Kids are equipped to handle children as young as 6 months old. Alberta Health Care & Saskatchewan Health Care will cover an exam's cost yearly, and kids' eyes should be checked whether they need to wear glasses or not.

If they do need glasses, we have over 250 children's frames to choose from, with packages starting at just $150 and a warranty you'll want to write home about!

Alberta Health Care covers eye examinations once each year for those ages 0 to 18 years.

Eye examinations are vital to the health and development of a child’s sight and should be done at age 6 months, age 3, age 5, and yearly thereafter. Instead of using a regular eye chart. Our doctors have various techniques and tools to help keep a child’s attention during the testing. These tests are fun and non-invasive but will help determine how the eyes and vision are developing.

During the exam, our doctors will test the eye’s alignment, eye coordination, test muscle and nerve development, the pupil’s reaction to light and of course, the vision and the health of the eyes.

If your child is under the age of 5, the doctors recommend that they perform a special type of exam which includes a special eye spray that makes the child’s pupils very large. This is done for several reasons. Firstly, it allows the doctors to assess the health of the back of each eye with relative ease. Also, it allows the doctors to determine the child’s prescription accurately without the need for the child to give any feedback.

PlusOptix is the latest way to check the visual needs of your child.

About 25% of school age children have vision problems that may contribute to difficulty seeing, reading or learning. This is why it is vital to have your child’s eyes examined regularly..

Eye See Eye Learn (Eye See Eye Learn (Fribbit Program)

The Association of Optometrists along with Essilor Canada (KW Optical/Metro Optical) and Hilco Canada (Optiq Frames) have devised a program to ensure children in kindergarten receive an eye health exam as well as prescription glasses if needed.

Participating Alberta Schools would be able to provide you with a form that is completed by either an Optometrists or an Ophthalmologist which then needs to be returned to the school. Once this exam is done and should your child need glasses you can receive a free set of corrective eyewear..

Book Your Exam Today!

All of our Kids frame packages include the Frame, Airwear lenses, and TD2 (strong scratch coating), as well as our great warranty.

• Candie’s - $240

• Converse - $210

• Eleven Paris - $200

• Guess - $220

• Lacoste - $210

• Marchon - $210

• Miraflex - $170

• Nanovista - $220

• Nanovista Solar Clips - $270

• Nike - $260

• Oakley - $260

• Puma - $175

• Ray Ban - $260
• Sketchers - $200
• Spider Man -$200
• Star Wars - $200
• Superflex - $170
• Under Armour - $210

Full UV protection in all ZEISS clear lenses - We have elevated the standard of care by offering sunglass-level UV protection in all clear ZEISS lenses. That's full UV protection up to 400nm, the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and provided in premium sunglasses.

Glasses for Children:

• Children's lenses should be made of polycarbonate. This material is significantly more impact-resistant than other lens materials for added safety.
• Polycarbonate lenses also are significantly lighter than regular plastic lenses, which makes the glasses more comfortable — especially for strong prescriptions.
• And polycarbonate lenses have built-in protection against potentially damaging UV rays, and we use the strongest scratch coating available to help protect the lenses.

Sports glasses

• Polycarbonate is such a safe lens material that you may be tempted to let your child play sports in his regular glasses.
• Here's the drawback: Although polycarbonate is the lens material used for sports eyewear, regular eyeglass frames do not provide enough protection from large objects such as balls and flying elbows.
• So if your child is involved in sports, a proper sports goggle with polycarbonate lenses will provide the best protection against eye injury.

Consider an Anti-Reflective Coating

• A professional lens coating offers many benefits. It hardens the lens surface, making it more resistant to damage, reduces light reflections on the surface and makes the lens more dirt-resistant and easier to clean. DuraVision® Premium lens coatings from ZEISS combine these features in a single, first-class lens coating that meets the most demanding standards.

•  It is also more cosmetically appealing, helping to reduce the “lightning bolt” effect when taking pictures of your kids.

Blue Light

Beneficial Aspects of Blue Light

• Light does more than just help us see. It is also an important means of regulating our biological rhythms and affects our general well-being. Light influences whether or not we are awake, focused and productive and feel energized and healthy.
• Scientific studies have confirmed the biological effect of light on our bodies. Ultraviolet light, for example, influences the production of vitamins. Exposure to bright light and, in particular, the portion of blue light affects our hormonal balance. Hormones in the body regulate how a person feels as well as their sleep-wake cycle. In daylight, the portion of blue light is relatively high, whereas it is significantly reduced in the evening.
• When it's bright outside, the body releases serotonin – also known as one of the "happy hormones" – and cortisol, a stress hormone. Both of these make us feel awake and active. However, melatonin is considered a sleep hormone and causes us to feel tired and sleep soundly when it is dark.
• Light, in particular blue light that reaches the retina, also affects our psychological well-being. That is why light therapy is successfully employed to treat winter depression and insomnia. But, as is so often the case, the axiom "everything in moderation" still applies. Exposure to too much light also carries certain risks and can even be damaging.

Damaging Effects of Blue Light

Too much light in the ultraviolet and blue-violet bands can damage the human eye. As well as leading to painful inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea, it can also cause damage to the eye's crystalline lens (e.g. cataracts) and especially to the retina (macular degeneration).

That's why it is so important to wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection in strong sunshine, especially in situations where there is a lot of glare, such as on water or snowy mountain slopes.

The Modern World: Light Sources With a High Proportion Of Blue Light

From light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and xenon light to energy-saving bulbs and electromagnetic radiation from screens, all the "new light sources" that are designed to make our lives better and easier contain a higher proportion of blue light than the old traditional light bulbs. The different spectral composition of the light means that we are exposed to significantly more blue light than before. Could this be having a detrimental effect on our eyesight?

But it is important to remember that spending one hour outside on a normal overcast day exposes our eyes to 30 times more blue light than spending one hour inside sitting in front of a screen.

Clear spectacle lenses with a blue light filter

It makes sense that clear spectacle lenses do not require UV protection if we mainly wear them indoors. However, it is possible to get clear lenses with a blue light filter, such as DuraVision® Blue Protect. But why?

Blue light radiation from light sources or screens can be irritating or tiring for some people's eyes. A blue filter can provide people with sharper vision: the different wavelengths of visible light are refracted in slightly different ways by the cornea and crystalline lens, so not all of them strike the same focal point on the retina. Some people will be familiar with this kind of phenomenon – for example, the fact that it's easier to clearly see red at a distance and blue close up, or the way in which infographics with red, green and blue lines are more tiring to keep in focus than lines which are all shaded in the same or similar colours.

Some people find that light sources with a high proportion of blue light can make them feel more restless at night. When we find ourselves in a dark room or outside at dusk or at night-time, our eyes switch to a different mode of vision. In low light the human eye shifts from green sensitivity to the high-energy blue spectrum. That means we perceive blue light more intensely, which can give the sensation of increased glare. This effect will be familiar to drivers who have been blinded by the glaring headlights of oncoming vehicles, especially those with modern xenon or LED headlights. Spectacle lenses with a blue light filter can create a more comfortable vision in these situations.

DuraVision® BlueProtect is a lens coating for clear lenses which can be applied as an additional layer. It offers all the benefits of a traditional DuraVision® Premium coating by ZEISS, including optimized hardness in an easy-clean design. BlueProtect also includes a blue filter which attenuates blue light in the 380 to approx. 450 nm band. That means improved visual comfort for anyone who wants protection against blue light during indoor activities without losing the beneficial effects of blue light in the approx. 450 to 500 nm band! Spectacles with DuraVision® BlueProtect can be worn all day long unless you choose to wear your sunglasses for outdoor activities or use PhotoFusion lenses, which also offer 100% UV protection.

How Digital Devices Are Changing Our Vision

Tablets, smartphones, and other digital displays are not only changing the light spectrum we are exposed to – they are also changing our visual behaviour. It's important to recognize that we are spending far more time looking at things "close up" than we did before. That's often because the background brightness is too low. This is even a problem among children: "school myopia" refers to the increasing propensity of children to suffer from shortsightedness once they start school.

If we fail to spend enough time looking into the distance, then our eyes don't get as much opportunity to relax, and we essentially "unlearn" the ability to focus quickly for various distances. That causes digital eye strain. In addition, we naturally blink less when we're staring at digital displays, so our cornea is moistened less frequently by tear fluid. This can lead to tired, strained eyes. And in the worst case, it can even impair our vision.

Our tip: We recommend giving your eyes more frequent breaks by looking into the distance much more often – even when you are in the middle of working on your laptop, tablet or smartphone. And make sure your eyes are exposed to enough brightness while ensuring they are adequately protected against excessive UV and blue-violet light.

How to Help Your Kids

1. Go for a full eye examination

Kids adapt so easily that it can be hard to tell if they need glasses. Yearly eye exams are essential to confirm that your child’s vision is stable and eyes are healthy. It is also covered by Alberta Health Care once a year. And can be started as young as six months old.
 

2. Take regular breaks

Just like you need physical exercise, your health can also benefit from eye exercises. The 20 20 20 rule is a great way to give your eyes a break and a little exercise at the same time. It’s as simple as looking up from your screen every 20 minutes and focusing on something that’s 20 metres away for 20 seconds.

3. Blink, blink, blink!

When you work on a computer or focus on a smartphone, you tend to blink less and only close your lids partially when you do. Blinking moistens the eyes to prevent dryness and irritation, so when you’re on one of those scheduled breaks, focus on taking long, deep blinks.

4. Moisten your eyes

If you suffer from dry eyes, speak to your doctor or eye care practitioner about artificial tears. These are lubricating drops that help the tear film to work more effectively, so moisture doesn’t evaporate from the eyes too quickly.

5. Limit screen time for kids

Growing children with developing eyes shouldn’t use digital devices for a prolonged period of time. It’s even more important for them to take breaks and limit screen time than it is for you!

After a long day at school, make sure your child spends some time outdoors. Physical play is essential for their health and development, and it’s beneficial for their eyes. Research shows that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop short-sightedness. When they are outside, remember that it’s important to apply sunscreen and to wear UV protection glasses.

If your child or teenager has a demanding academic programme, speak to your eye care professional about suitable lenses to help prevent strain.

6. Avoid blue light before bedtime

As already mentioned, all digital devices emit some form of blue light. When the eyes are exposed to a certain intensity and spectral band of blue light, the body releases less melatonin (the sleep hormone). This means that you will be more alert and awake for longer.

Of course, sleep is essential to relieving eye strain, so avoid excessive blue light exposure before you go to bed, or wear prescription glasses with a specialized blue light coating if you enjoy reading on your phone or tablet to wind down at night.

7. Make healthy choices

Eyes love veggies! Eat plenty of green veggies such as broccoli, spinach and cabbage, and of course, carrots.

Hydration is also important, especially if you suffer from dry eyes. You need to stay hydrated to make sure your eyes receive the moisture they need.

End your day of healthy choices with a good night’s rest – it will help your eyes to recover from strain.