Your child’s first eye test: what to expect

Knowing whether your child is struggling with their eyesight isn’t always easy. They might spend most of the day chatting away and firing a seemingly endless stream of questions in your direction, but that doesn’t mean they’ll tell you if something’s wrong. 

For many young children, they often don’t realise there’s anything unusual about the way they see the world. So, what age can you get your child's eyes tested, and how can you prepare them?

Why test your child’s eyes at a young age?

How children see is how they discover the world, and good sight is so important for every aspect of their development, from learning at school to playing with their friends. 

But for many parents, it’s helping their young child overcome the fear of their first eye test that can be the biggest challenge. New research from Specsavers shows that over a quarter (26%) of young children don't like medical or health appointments, and 45% of children were worried before their first eye test. 

Leading child psychologist, Professor Sam Wass, has partnered with Specsavers for National Eye Health Week, to help alleviate appointment anxieties and encourage more eye tests in young children.

Sam has revealed that children are often nervous during new health scenarios because young brains are wired to be cautious of unfamiliar situations.  

"It's completely normal for children to feel nervous about healthcare appointments, especially when they're doing something for the first time," said Professor Wass. "But these check-ups play a crucial role in supporting healthy development. Correcting vision early can improve learning outcomes and have a real impact on education, confidence and wellbeing."

What does a first eye test involve?

If the idea of persuading your child to sit still for an eye test fills you with panic, don't worry. Sight tests for children are designed with little ones in mind, and opticians often adapt the way they carry out the checks to keep things fun and relaxed.

Specsavers’ team of experts use special charts during an eye test, allowing children to recognise shapes or pictures, or match letters, so they can test children’s eyes if they’re unable to read.

And it’s not just about checking how clearly your child can see. The optician will also examine their eye health, including the muscles and surrounding structures, to make sure everything looks healthy and is working as it should be.

How to help a child feel prepared

Sight tests can feel daunting to a child. From the unfamiliar setting to the new person getting very close, there’s a lot to take in. 

To keep things as smooth sailing as possible, Professor Sam Wass suggests a few practical tips, including role playing the scenario at home or offering plenty of choices to keep them feeling in control.

1. Rehearse the test before you go and let them be the optician

When your little one is faced with a new scenario, surprise can feel like a threat to the brain. When it comes to eye tests, it’s also being asked to ‘perform’ that can feel unfamiliar for a child. As young children love role play so much, try practicing beforehand - spotting shapes, colours and letters at home to help your child know what to expect. Specsavers also has a fun online Sight Prompt with simple quiz-style activities you can try together at home.

Sam says: “By the time kids arrive, the room has stopped being unknown and started being recognisable.”

2. Don’t just talk about what will happen but what it will feel like

You may want to run through the sequence of events, but children will also want to know whether a sight test hurts or what it will feel like. Sam says sensory information is key when preparing your little one.

"Most parents describe the sequence of events and stop there," Sam says. "But children's own accounts of what they want to know are strikingly consistent: will it hurt, will I feel scared, and what can I do to stay calm. Sensory information, such as ‘the chin rest is cool’, ‘the room goes dim’, prevents the unexpected sensation that turns a manageable moment into a frightening one."

3. Offer them plenty of choice

Not feeling in control can make anxiety worse, in both adults and children. So Sam says that offering choice where possible can be a real game changer.

“Letting a child make choices about small details, from which chair to sit on to which order they do things in and whether you hold their hand or they hold yours, can shift an experience from feeling like something is being done to them to feeling like something they are doing.” 

4. Give them a job

Distraction can be an amazing tool when a child is feeling scared, and Sam says it works best when there’s a goal attached.

"Counting how many animals they can spot is a better way of deflecting attention than just telling them to just not think about something. Attention needs somewhere to go. Give them a job to do before the anxiety starts rather than after, and make it specific enough to have an answer. 

“Specsavers has also created the Optomonsters, which is a cast of friendly characters designed to make eye tests less intimidating for children. So you could spend time counting the colours or the eyes on the posters around the store.”

5. Don't constantly reassure

As parents, it’s natural to want to reassure our kids that everything is fine and there’s no need to worry. But Sam says this can be counterintuitive, as it can signal to kids that something is wrong.

"When parents repeat ‘it's okay, don't worry’, children rate their parents as more frightened than when parents distract them. Heavy reassurance can signal that there is something here worth being reassured about. Say less, and say it lightly."

6. Arrive close to the appointment time rather than early

A sight test is important, so you don’t want to risk running late. But arriving ahead of schedule can mean lots of waiting, which may mean more time for anxious thoughts to grow.

“Waiting areas can be the hardest part with bright lighting, echoes, screens, strangers, and no clear sense of timing. You can't redesign the waiting room, but you can arrive close to the appointment time rather than early, sit somewhere quieter, make sure the child knows what time it is, and how long you will have to wait."

7. Don’t prepare them too soon

Weeks of warning is not always a good idea, especially if the thought of a sight test leaves them nervous. For preschoolers, Sam says the day before or even morning of the appointment is usually fine. 

“Older children can do better with more notice. Match the amount of detail to how much they are actually asking for.”

Meet the Optomonsters

Specsavers’ Optomonsters are a colourful cast of friendly characters designed to help kids find eye tests more fun and less scary. The monsters, developed by children’s illustrator Melanie Williamson with input from Specsavers’ very own mini customers, were designed around some of the most common worries.

The Optomonster gang includes Bugz, Leni, Opto, Doti and Patch, and you can get to know them all through Specsavers’ colourful online Sight Prompt. It’s not designed to diagnose sight problems or replace a proper eye test, but it can give you and your child a fun sneak peek at what to expect. 

They’ll be asked simple questions, from counting Bugz’s eyes and spotting the shapes on Doti’s tummy to whether their own eyes ever feel sore or itchy.

How to book in a test for your child

You can try the fun Optomonster prompt at home for a little insight into how your child’s eyes are working, but it’s no substitute for a proper eye test. Plus, NHS-funded sight tests are free for children under 16, and with Specsavers, you can book online, phone your local store or stop by to schedule an appointment.

About Specsavers

Specsavers has been a family-run business for more than 40 years, working with its store partners around the world to provide the best value optometry, audiology and other healthcare services for its customers. Doug and Dame Mary Perkins started the business on a ping-pong table in their spare room, after a change in UK regulations allowed professionals to advertise their products and services for the first time. Doug and Dame Mary believed that everyone deserved access to high-quality eye care and glasses and their mission revolutionised the industry. Delivering exceptional eye and hearing care for an affordable price remains one of Specsavers’ core values.