The people your child will actually MEET.
Before you trust us with your child's eyes, you should know who we are, what we believe, and why this practice exists at all.
and adult strabismus
Paediatric Ophthalmology (Canada)
We exist because eye care should not end at diagnosis. The hardest part happens at home, months later, and that is exactly where most families are left on their own.
That loneliness is unnecessary, and it is fixable.
Why I started KiDS EYES.
Every week, somewhere in the world, a parent sits in a consulting room and hears something they were not expecting.
I have been on the other side of that conversation for over sixteen years. I explain the science. I draw the diagram. I use words like patching, or alignment, or visual development. The parent nods, and I can see they want to do everything right.
Then they leave, and something happens that I do not see. The medical instructions turn into real life.
Those are not medical questions. They are human ones. And for a long time I watched families walk out of my rooms with the clinical answer and none of the practical ones.
Eye conditions in childhood are common. Thousands of families go through this every year. And yet almost every parent I meet believes they are the only one.
So KiDS EYES became more than a practice. Alongside the clinical care there are courses, resources, and a community of parents walking the same road, because treatment succeeds or fails at home in the months between appointments.
It is going to be hard. It is also doable, and in most cases we can improve the vision. You do not have to have the answers. That part is my job.
Expert care that feels human.
Dr Claire Cullen is a paediatric ophthalmologist with over 16 years of specialist experience, advanced microsurgery training, and an international fellowship in paediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus.
She qualified as a specialist in 2010, then spent two further years training in advanced microsurgical techniques, including non-penetrating glaucoma surgery and paediatric cataracts, while working as an honorary consultant.
"My job is not just to diagnose a problem. It is to help families understand what is happening, know what comes next, and feel confident about the journey ahead."
She runs a paediatric eye clinic every Wednesday at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, and has taken part in local and international outreach throughout her career. Teaching and giving back matter to her as much as the practice itself.
Qualifications and memberships
MBBCh, FCOphth(SA), Paediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Fellowship (Canada)
Everyone here will know your child's name.
A visit is not only Dr Claire. It is the person who greets you at the door, the one who settles your child before the examination, and the one who sorts out your paperwork afterwards. You will see the same faces each time.
Tertia
Practice Manager & Billing CoordinatorBut the Lord stood with me and gave me strength. 2 Timothy 4:17
Carina
Clinical Manager & Information OfficerNormality is a paved road. It is comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow.
Jenito
Ophthalmic Assistant & Plusoptix TechIn a world where you can be anything, be kind.
Eunice
Ophthalmic AssistantSmall steps every day.
Masego
ReceptionistThe future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Charity
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A place where children love to SEE.
The moment your child walks in, the clinic disappears. Hand-painted forests, friendly faces, and a calm that turns nervous little visitors into curious explorers.
Most eye practices are designed for adults and then made smaller. Ours was built the other way around, and it is painted right onto our walls.
Four rooms, four seasons. Each one hand-painted into its own little world, so every visit feels like somewhere new.
Come visit us →Are we the right fit for your family?
We would rather be straight with you now than have you sit in our waiting room realising this was not what you needed.
This is likely a good fit if
- Your child has been diagnosed with an eye condition, or you suspect something is not right
- You want the reasoning explained, not only the instruction
- You are looking for support that continues after the appointment ends
- You want a second opinion on a diagnosis or a plan already under way
- You are an adult wanting a squint or double vision assessed
- You would rather hear an honest assessment than a comfortable one
This is probably not the right place if
- You need emergency eye care right now. Go to a casualty department instead
- You want a routine adult eye test or a new spectacle prescription. An optometrist is the better first stop
- You are looking for laser or adult refractive surgery. That is a different specialty
- You want a guaranteed outcome. Nobody honest can offer that, and we will not pretend otherwise
- You want treatment started before an assessment. We diagnose before we treat, every time
- You are looking for the quickest possible appointment. Ours are deliberately unhurried
Not sure which of those describes you? Ask us. It costs nothing to find out, and we would rather point you to the right person than take an appointment that does not help.
What families say.
Questions about us.
Questions about conditions and treatment live on our main FAQ page. These are about the practice itself.
Yes. This is a single specialist practice, not a rotating team. Dr Claire sees your child at every appointment. That is part of why sessions are longer, and it is what makes real continuity possible over months of treatment.
Because children do not perform on demand. A first session runs two to three hours so that nothing has to be rushed. A hurried examination of a frightened child gives unreliable results, which helps nobody.
Yes, and it is welcome rather than awkward. Bring whatever you have: reports, prescriptions, photographs, or nothing at all. Dr Claire reviews what has already been done before suggesting anything new. If the original plan was the right one, she will tell you so.
Both. Dr Claire's fellowship covers paediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus, so the practice treats adult squint and double vision alongside children's eye conditions.
Yes. She runs a paediatric eye clinic every Wednesday at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and has taken part in local and international outreach throughout her career. She also serves on the executive committee of the South African Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
This is the part most practices leave out, and it is the reason KiDS EYES exists. Alongside the clinical care there are courses, resources and a parent community, because treatment succeeds or fails at home in the months between visits.
We are at 18 Hollywood Drive, Northcliff, Johannesburg.
Now you know us.
There is no rush. If something about your child's eyes is worrying you, ask us about it.
