Children’s first eye test - what age?

[Username24680]

What age did your children get their first routine eye test? No concerns at all so would just purely be routine tests.
Google giving me all sorts of different answers! We’re Scotland incase that makes a difference 😊

DD2 we did at 5 and she has worn glasses since. I think it was as a result of school check.

DD was 3.
Back then pre-school eye tests were the norm. Thank goodness they were because it was discovered that she had astigmatism in one eye. She got glasses and had to have an eye patch.

She is 22 and still needs glasses.

DD at age 6, but this was due to a strong family history of needing glasses young and eye problems. Her eyesight was fine but they were happy we had come.

My grandson (4) just had one done this week at his nursery ( privately run ). They weren't 100% sure he was seeing perfectly so advised to have a test at Optician which is booked for next week .... absolutely fine to request one prior to starting school I would have thought

18 months for dd as she had a squint.
Somewhere around age 4ish is probably reasonable if you find an optician that deals with younger children.

Dd wore glasses from 18 months and still needs them and is 19 now (will always need glasses/contacts)

Do they still do the eye checks at nursery in Scotland?

They did when dd and ds were younger although dd already had glasses by then

Age about 5 or 6 is quite usual, DS was earlier as I have a squint so he was checked when much younger. DS was fine but needed glasses from about age 8 for shortsightedness so regular checks (every 2 years?) when they are school age are important.

www.nhsinform.scot/tests-and-treatments/routine-tests-and-examinations/childrens-vision-screening This suggests the preschool screening is still done

DD was 5, the optician did the letters phonetically, look out for one with a reputation of being good with children.

After that she had one every year, had glasses for 4 years but don't need them anymore.

A neighbour's daughter had her first test at 9 months, she has severe eye problems and that's then done in an eye hospital though.

Other friends with family eye health problems also went before school.

If the eye test at 5 is fine it is very important to have a test regularly and not think all is ok as DCs eyes can change as DSs did and he became shortsighted

Kids are entitled to an annual eye test and then it every 2 years for adults. We all go to a local independent optician for eye tests although dd was under hospital orthoptist care until she was about age 7 or 8.

DS got his at nursery last year. We are in Scotland.

I took dd yesterday. She is four. Pre school check, done at health centre.

Thanks very much all 😊 A new local independent optician had posted on social media last night congratulating a 2 year old on doing so well with his “2 year full eye check” and I wondered if I’d missed something with my 2.5 year old!

In Scotland (where I am) it should be 3 and they get it through nursery. DD had it during lockdown (I remember being quite surprised when I got the letter!). I did actually take both mine before this age myself as I have very bad eyesight which wasn't picked up until about age 9 so I'm a bit paranoid about it.

We took our boys just before starting school as both parents shortsighted. My daughter had been tested from 8m at eye hospital (due to other medical issues) It’s amazing what they can do with such young uncooperative patients! Local optician was fine at 4 - they use picture charts if child doesn’t know letters.

I was told that as I have shortsightedness it should be 3, but it’s normally 4