Any opticians out there - dd1 just told she needs glasses, and I am confused

[steppemum]

bit stunned actually.

She was tested at 5 in reception, was told her sight was good. I haven't had her tested since, she is now 8.
Then there was a questionnaire on here about eye tests, and dd2 has never had hers done and is now in reception, so I booked all 3 in for eye tests.

In between booking and test she did say to me that she finds it hard to read her music (she plays the trumpet, so music is at longer than arms length away)

Took them for test on Friday. ds fine as per last test, dd2 fine. They could both read smallest line on the chart. (4 lines? - electronically projected chart)

dd1 couldn't read 3rd line (out of 4).
Optician said she needs further test, went back today for eye drops and test. After the test with the glasses things on she still couldn't see the 3rd line. (?)
Result is she needs to wear glasses all the time. She is long sighted.

I have some questions, because I am so surprised at this.

1. Can her sight have gone from good to needs glasses all the time between reception and year 3?
2. Does that mean it can potentially continue to deteriorate?
3. If she is long sighted, doesn't that mean she should have difficulty with close up work? This doesn't make sense, she has small, neat, tidy writing, and has no trouble reading small print. She says she can't read her music and now that I have asked her she says she can't read a book when it is at arms length. How is that long sighted? Isn't that shortsighted? She also says she can't see things far away. My mum is long sighted and she can see things miles away, but can't do the crossword without her glasses. This is really not what dd1 is saying. Hence my confusion.

Can anyone explain it to me please?

thank you

1. It's possible that she has always been longsighted, but has been managing because children generally do - plus the print size will have been getting smaller as she gets older!

1. Longsightedness tends to get better over time, as the eyes grow, but it's not unknown for it to increase.

1. What you have to remember is that children's eyes are not like adults. Their lens within the eye is very soft and squishy and children are able to focus and squash the lens into shape incredibly easily. The trouble is that over time, having to continually do this, the eye gets accustomed to doing it and effectively make the vision blurred for distances as well as close up.

This is also why children often reject their glasses when they first get them, as they actually blur the eye. It takes many weeks in some for the lens to readjust and accept the lens in the glasses doing the work for them!

thanks barley sugar
but if she has always been longsighted, would it (should it) not have been picked up at her first eye test aged 5?

So her eyes, because they are compensating for the longsightedness, are at the moment seeing distance badly too, but once she has her glasses and her eyes have settled, her distance vision should improve?

Optician did warn us that they would take a while to get used to.

steppe was the test done in reception just a screening test at school rather than a proper eye exam. If it was they often don't pick up eye problems which is why we recommend an eye exam before starting school (or sooner if any problems are seen).

So yes, its very likely that she has always been long sighted.

It may take a little bit of time to get used to the glasses, yes her distance vision should improve.

thanks Karoleann
no, the reception test was proper full eye test at opticians.

I think that is why I am feeling a bit about this, because if at that eye test they had raised a concern, then I would have had her checked regularly. As it was they said her eye sight was fantastic, no problems, so I have had no concerns, and been slack about getting them checked.
typical laypersons logic - they were fine and aren't having any problems, so continue with status quo.

New tests also said ds (aged 10) is long sighted but not enough to need glasses. At his last test (age 7) we were also told his eyes were brilliant no problems. That was at a very good, highly recommended optician, where we used to live.

Maybe it is myself I should be angry with, because I haven't had them checked every year.

poor dd, just wonder how long she hasn't been able to see!

I wouldn't be angry a lot can change in a few years. I had my eyes tested every 3 years or so as a child but I didn't need glasses until I was 10. Some people don't need glasses until into adult life after having been fine until then, its just one of those things peoples eyes change and deteriorate as they grow.