Toddler eye examination

[badgerknowsbest]

I have booked my 16mo dd for an eye examination tomorrow at the opticians. She seems to be straining her eyes quite a bit lately and also reacts when a light is switched on, almost like it is giving her a headache.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of taking toddlers to the optician as I have no idea what to expect, I'm guessing getting her to sit still will be a challenge in itself. I'm starting to wonder if maybe I should have just taken her straight to the gp?

does the optician have experience of children that age? When dd had eye issues she was referred to an orthoptist (via the hv) at the hospital with kids eye issues all the time

who dealt with with kids eye issues all the time (missed a couple of words!)

It's a small high street optician so has probably examined children's eyes but wouldn't have the same experience as an optician you would be referred to, thinking about it I probably should have spoken to hv first. Hope your dd eye issues are ok now.

dd is long sighted and has had glasses since she was 18 months old. She had a squint and had patching treatment and an eye op at age 4. She will always need glasses (she is 10 now).

Does the optician know the age of your dd as our opticians dont see them here until they are 3?

p.s. she had all her appointments at the orthoptist at the hospital until she was age 7ish and then she was discharged from hospital care and now we just see the local optician.

I would take her to the GP and ask for a referral to a hospital orthoptist. DD has an eye issue and has been seen by orthoptists/eye doctors since she was 6 months old. They have plenty of specialist toys and tricks which allow them to test the sight of very young children.