eye test for 3.5 year old

[csa]

ds1 seems to have problems differentiating the letter A and V in his eye test. anyone faced with the same situation? it seems quite a tricky thing to do from a distance - dh and i had to squint to see it and he has perfect eyesight and i have just had my eye tested so i know my prescription is correct.

dd2 also struggled with her eye test. she got the smaller letters correct but struggled with some of the larger ones. she also got the harder 3d style pics ok, but not the easier ones. she wil lbe reviewed in 6months time.

yeah. this was his second test. they now want him to go to the hospital for further tests. sigh. i just wondered if there was a reason they used letters. seems to me that at this age when they are just starting to learn letters, surely shapes would be more appropriate? but perhaps, letters give a more accurate result?

I thought there there were tests available that used things other than letters.

DS1 has worn glasses since he was 18 months, at that age they always test at the hospital nd they use things like teleptubbies, noddy toys- the sort of thing you'd expect with pre-schoolers. It is only since he turned 5 really that letters have been used, and even then they have been mainly using a chart where he points to a letter rather than has to say tbe name.

The ability to use these tests, combined with Orthoptists whoa re more experienced with children is probably the reason for referral. certainly, my sister and I were always seen at the hospital until we were senior school age.

HTH.

My dd had her first sight test at 3.5 and was given shapes and pictures to look at rather than letters. Even at 4.5, when she could read the letters and wanted letters rather than pictures, they tested her using more pictures than letters.

Was it a routine sight test at an opticians? If so, maybe all you need is a change of optician to someone a little more flexible, or more used to doing children's sight tests.

Letters can cause other problems. DS1 was able to read by the time of his 3.5 year check, and got into a complete panic about being unable to read the words.

Dd wore glasses by 3. Shapes were used to start with but a bit later on she was given a choice and a mixed test of shapes/letters. The shapes confused her because she thought there could only be one of each so the second time a house appeared decided it must be a handbag with a funny strap etc.

thanks all. wwb, no it was a routine test arranged by the health visitor/gp clinic? they had shapes for close-ups but the ones at a distance were all letters. guess i'll just have to wait and see what they say at the hospital. just wondered what you other more experienced mn's thought