Calling mumsnet opticians!! I need to pick your brains!

[IHateLegDay]

Evening! Sorry if this is too long!

Today I took my 4.5yo dd to have an eye test because recently she's been telling me her eyes are fuzzy in school and she can't always see the board.

The optician I saw was nice enough but veerrrry young. Don't know if that will be relevant.
At first after testing, he said dd was short sighted but after she had the eye drops and tested again, he said he was wrong, she's actually long sighted.
He's given a prescription of +1 on each eye and we ordered glasses.

I've had a little niggly feeling that he's wrong. Up close she can see perfectly but when things are further away, she struggles to see clearly and squints a tiny bit at what she's trying to focus on.

I spoke to a friend who used to work at the opticians. I didn't say anything about the appointment, just that dd had had one. She asked who the optician was and when I gave his name she said "omg he's awful!! He honestly doesn't know what he's doing" 🙈 I then went on to tell her about the appointment.

Would it be weird of me to call them back and ask for a second opinion? What are your thoughts?

My father in law is an optician and he would absolutely tell you to get a second opinion, Especially for a little one.

I'm not an optician but I would say let DD try them, then if they're not right you've got reason to ask for another test. Or you could just get your money back and go to a different optician.

Wearing the wrong prescription glasses can really harm children's eyesight. Trust your gut - get a second opinion

Kids over accommodate which gives an incorrect prescription (often minus). The drops paralyse the muscles that allow them to accommodate and therefore get a correct prescription.

Everything you've said sounds normal. Get the glasses. NHS wont pay for a second opinion.

I meant to add: if she doesn't notice any improvement (give it a good 2 weeks) give them a call and ask for a retest.

She is definitely short sighted if she struggles to see things that are far away.

Edited as that was poorly worded- That's not completely true. Plenty of kids that are long sighted struggle with distance too, if they’re over accommodating.

Thanks for your advice everyone. I've booked for an appt on Saturday to talk to them about. I don't mind if it's not on the NHS xx

I would definitely get a second opinion. I've had an optician give me the wrong prescription before and admit when I queried it that it was incorrect. Would go to a long-establised independent rather than Specsavers if I could.

Absolutely go back. My prescription was wrong a few years ago and when I took the glasses in and they checked them they said yes, they didn't match my prescription and they were really helpful in getting them sorted.
100% go back for a second opinion. Hope you get the little one sorted.

Sounds like short sightedness if she can’t always see the board, but does not complain about reading books or screens up close, or does she also say that’s blurry?

No don't give it two weeks. I am an adult and 3 days with the wrong prescription gave me the most horrible headaches.