Optician says it's impossible for 13yr old to be long sighted

[Allgoodfun]

Dd 13yrs has worn glasses for distance - school board, tv etc for a couple of years. Eyes worsened at the beginning of the year and new prescription given, then again last week and stronger prescription again. Both times she asked to go as worse and head aches.

Went to pick up her glasses today and she told me she can't see close up either, reading is fuzzy and gives her a headache, so I asked the optician about this. He insisted that its impossible at her age to be long sighted and she didn't need glasses for this but her glasses for distance would help with close work too. I queried that and he asked her if she could read something with her glasses on and she said it's still fuzzy. He said she'd get used to the glasses and improve.

She has previously said reading is fuzzy before we went back, not just today, but I was distracted by other dd being taken ill during her appointment so didn't question it then.

So my AIBU is really a "is he talking rubbish?"and should I take her to another optician, or is he right and she'll be fine with her distance glasses?

Definitely don't go down the route of a GP or an ophthalmologist though. Im not sure why this has been suggested? A GP would refer you back to the optician- they do not have the same knowledge of the eyes as an optometrist does. It's unlikely the hospital would accept a referral for this, they are seriously stretched for appointments dealing with sight-threatening conditions and eye injuries.
Please go back to the original opticians if she doesn't adapt, they should check it again for free. Otherwise you can go to a different practice for a 2nd opinion but expect to pay private as the NHS wouldn't usually cover this.

I’d get a second opinion, of only to get some proper explanation!

It sounds all rather odd and confusing, and needs clarifying.

I think the optometrist is referring to 'presbyopia' which is an age-related condition where someone may require a different prescription for distance and reading. Its often confused with long-sightedness.

This is very common in the over 50s, though would be very rare in a teenager, but as Mrsfanshaw has indicated, not impossible. Obviously, a child can be longsighted and many are, but children are generally one thing or the other and this is probably what the optician meant. I would give things a few days for her to get used to her new glasses, but if things don't improve go back to the opticians. However before going down the bifocal or varifocal route, as many of us have done, just take her glasses off for reading.

I short sited and have to take off my glasses for reading as I can't see close up with them. I can read fine without them though.

Sounds like the optician doesn't know what they are talking about. I'd go and see another optician.
Dd2 has had glasses since she was 5 as she can't see things in front or far away from her. She has to wear them all the time, she only takes them off to sleep. One eye she also has astigmatism so the glasses lens on that side is slightly different.
Her older sister originally wore glasses for reading only but now also wears them constantly due to having problems seeing things far away as well as close now.
Children's eyes can change in a short space of time.

Genuinely op, you’ve misunderstood what the optician means. Lots of children are long sighted which even the poorest optician (or inexperienced student for that matter) will know. Don’t confuse that with being both long and short sighted at the same time.

OP - I am both short sighted and long sighted and have been since my teens. I think that at the very least you need an optician who will explain things clearly (including if it will take a bit of time to get used to the glasses).

Is it possible that she is having issues with how her eyes are working together? My DS1 had these issues, particularly when he was tired, and saw an optometrist at the hospital who gave him some eye exercises that resolved the issue.

She may need varifocal lenses, I had them in school to see the board far away but also so I could do close up work too

Presbyopia is not the only cause of long sightedness, its the common cause for middle aged people.

I think there is some confusing types of optician (and I'm guilty of this) as terminology varies between countries. in the UK a lot of chain opticians are dispensers rather than fully qualified ophthalmic practitioners and optometrists. Where your GP may be able to help is simply recommending a local practitioner who has the full qualifications and experience of complex prescribing.

One of my DC and I have the 'family eyes' and need complex prescriptions etc. I was able to get a local recommendation from my DFs eye hospital who kept lists of local opticians who could do after care. Another avenue might simply be from other parents who have had to find an optician for DC with complex eye problems (I think I should have had commission for the amount of work I sent to my optician!)

Have the glasses been made up to the correct prescription? I've had the wrong lenses dispensed before, and they had to go back to the lab to be changed.

I have one eye short sighted and one eye long sighted plus I struggle to see in 3d due to other issues. all my life I got given rubbish prescriptions that failed to make that much difference so I suffered lots of headaches etc. I was over 40 when I found an optician who picked all of this up. the difference to my vision was startling. I haven't had a headache since I got the right prescription.

go and get a proper second opinion from a good ophthalmologist and if not satisfied go to your gp and get a referral.

It might be worth consulting an optician who sees a lot of children. DD (now 18) developed a squint at 2. Mentioned to HV who got us an appointment at the local eye unit. She was under the care of the orthoptists until she was around 7. She was diagnosed as very long-sighted and needed glasses at 2.

Whilst waiting for the next appointment with the hospital's ophthalmologist, I went round sussing out the local shops for glasses for her whilst she was at nursery. I could not believe how I was treated by one well-known high street chain. They accused me of wanting her to look like me because I wore glasses (as if I would do something so pathetic!) and children of 2 did not need glasses. I left there and went to one of their competitors and burst into tears. The competitor could not have been more different. They showed me their children's ranges, explained that 2 year olds can sometimes wear "normal" children's frames, but may need those with wider bridges over their nose as their face shape changes at that age. They introduced me to their chief optician who checked every child prescription and generally made me feel less of a freak and more comfortable. Needless to say, DD has continued to be a customer there; her eyesight is pretty good now as long as she wears her glasses. I would NEVER go back to the first place. They do vary - it is worth asking around.

I think he probably meant you don't suddenly;y go from short sighted to long and short sighted so young.

It's quite normal for those of us well over 40 to have bifocals but I don't think I've ever seen a child with them.

I'd suggest a different optician.

But I would also ask about a prism, my eyes have a tendency to 'drift' the prism keeps them in the same direction.

Although I have bifocals I can read without glasses but if I'm tired things are a bit blurry (I have astigmatism and I'm dyslexic).

Has she tried a coloured overlay for reading?

I have mine because I'm dyslexic but a uni lecturer asked me how I'd 'got rid of the blur' on his photocopied handout.

But I think the bottom line is, from everyone on here, there are lots of things it could be and she needs to be seen by someone else.

Can he tell that to my six year old?

I was long sighted at 16 so don’t know what he’s on about ..

I have been long sighted since primary school. Weird that he thinks you can’t be. I guess the countless opticians I see are all wrong
I would get a second opinion OP

Thanks everybody. Somethings cropped up and I'm having to be out all day today so will be tomorrow before I can do anything. I've told her to wear the new glasses all day and see how she gets on.
He repeatedly said children cannot be long sighted, as I kept repeating that she's struggling to read, I'm sure I didn't misunderstand him.
I'll see if she says her glasses have helped today and if not I'll book her in at an independent optician, she will have had a couple of days back at school by the way one we'll get an appointment so will have a better idea.

C8H10N402 is correct, there is a lot of confusing terminology with regards to optics, - an Ophthalmologist is a Doctor working in a hospital who deal with eye disease and such like.
-an Orthoptist usually works in the hospital dealing with binocular vision issues etc
-Optometrist AKA Ophthalmic Optician are interchangable terms for the person actually testing your eyes, they are extremely knowledgeable and will be able to refer you to the above for treatment.
-Dispensing Optician is the person who will dispense your glasses, they are fully qualified and are they are the only people legally who should be dispensing complex prescriptions and under 16’s. They also sort out problems with specs etc
-Optical assistant can do some of the same jobs as the DO under supervision except of course the above exceptions, they may also do admin/ reception work too.
It is worth noting that in the U.K. the only people legally allowed to test your eyes would be an Optometrist/Ophthalmic Optician regardless of whether or not you visit a chain or an independent practice.

I agree with the OP and would get a second opinion and a more clear cut explanation as to what is going on, it may be just adaptation to the new prescription or there may something more complex going on, always best to double check!
As I dispensing Optician I have come across instances of children wearing a correction for both distance and near usually due to convergence issues or in one case congenital cataract I don’t think that this would be classed as presbyopia though. I suspect as others have said that the optom is clumsily trying to say that your daughter is not presbyopic and is using the wrong terminology.

What a stupid thing for him to say....I have a five year ds who can prove his point wrong!

Get a second opinion!!!

I think you misunderstood somewhere, either that or a shop assistant was pretending to be the optician.
No optician could possibly think for a minute that a teen cannot be longsighted, they see it every single day of the week. It would be like a dr saying that a child can't have a cold. It isn't possible for him to think that.

It seems clear that the issue here is that she has already been established to be short sighted and that makes it all more complicated.

I think what he means is she is short sighted and not at (usual) age to need reading glasses too.

However my ds is both long sighted and short sighted due an an astigmatism. So it is possible her prescription is wrong.