To not want to pay for DS Eye Test

[ineedsomeinspiration]

DS (7) got his first glasses in September after reported his school work was jumping around the page. He'd never complained before and had been doing well at school. It turned out he needed a strongish prescription and to wear glasses all the time. Had a hospital referral to check prescription and for lazy eye. All good and told next check this September.

However this last week or so he's been complaining of his work jumping and describing what seems like double vision. I of coursed phoned the Opticians as presumed first point of call would be to get his eyes checked again rather than GP. I've made an appointment but been told as he's not due his NHS eye test till September if his prescription doesn't need changing then I'll have to pay £25.

NHS website seems to suggest you can have a free eye test earlier than scheduled if deemed clinically necessary. Surely a 7yo boy complaining of weird vision would deem an eye test clinically necessary? I'll pay it if I have to because I want to make sure he's OK but they'd be plenty of people who couldn't and may not take their child as result. Although I'm sure DS is fine surely these in some could be symptoms of something more serious than the wrong glasses?

Would you pay if asked or kick up a fuss?

dyslexia and Irlens may happen in a good reader. My daughter has dyslexia, at that age she was a book worm. Her issue was spelling and times tables, as well as learning times tables she found it difficult to look at times table charts. Also found it really hard to tell the time on a clock face.

I suffer from visual stress but didnt actually realise that until I was an adult. I use to read alot when I was a child and it would make me very tired but that was because I was having to concentrate so much on the words.

Could it be Irlens. My sister has it and goes for a special eye test which costs about 80 quid. She wears coloured lenses in glasses. Your standard optician won't do that test, you need to find one who specialises.

Taking free treatment from the NHS when you can afford to pay is the reason why it’s so shit and the reason why it has to be rationed

This is a child, not an adult. Its also not treatment, its a check which may lead to treatment.

Perhaps this 7 yr old should check his piggy bank for spare pennies.

BogglesGoggles
I’m not exactly sure you understand. I’m not taking anything for free when I should be paying. Children are entitled to free eye tests. My son is complaining his vision is not good at the moment but technically his next check isn’t due till September. So if I didn’t have £25 should I just make him wait in case he’s got it wrong as I’m sure many 7year olds do and I’d have to pay? It just seems like it could put people off getting their children checked when they need to.

So I’ve spoken to him a bit more. He said it’s not words jumping but stuff doubling and looks like the page jumps/moves. He said other than when he complained before he got his glasses and the last few weeks it hasn’t happened any other time. He said the words don’t move when he reads from a book. So I’m thinking it is actually his prescription or maybe they’ve done something wrong when they fixed his glasses last.

Yeah that sounds like Irlens, if it is a simple overlay could stop the moving about.

I’ve noticed a lot of previously free NHS treatments are now being charged for.

We have to produce previous dates eyetesta/prescriptions for the next appointment of with a different options.

So his prescription is fine but it was put through as an nhs test. He’s been referred to an Orthoptist and he also said I should take him for an Irlens test.

Same happened to us except we were told 2 years. I suspect the nhs has been refusing to reimburse the opticians

My daughter has a squint and has always had eye tests at the hospital. Now she is 7 she has been discharged and her last appointment was at specsavers. She has worn glasses for 5 years so very used to them now. After her last appointment she started complaining she still had double vision with her glasses on, getting headaches and feeling sick. I called specsavers and they said to bring her back in straight away, she had the test redone and new prescription written. No charge at all.