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Children's health

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Original poster

Almost 4 year old DS been prescribed glasses!

35 replies

LONC2012 · 21/04/2016 20:01

Hi all,

3 weeks ago I took my nearly 4yo DS to have his eyes tested at spec savers as he still can't get his colours so thought there might be an issue there.
The first test she did was put an eyepatch over one eye and show him some symbols from a distance (this broke my heart when she showed him a photo of a car and he just didn't know what it was) the other eye however he got it straight away without hesitation.
She put some drops in his eyes that dilated his pupil then took a reading from them again using a machine. She then said that his eyes were worse than she thought and he would definitely be wearing glasses all the time and to be rechecked in 6 months time.
We got the glasses 2 weeks ago the first day he wasn't so keen but I after that he has worn them all day.
He tells me that he can't see me properly and that he can't see things he is doing properly (he doesn't say this all the time but it's happening more).
I'm wondering whether or not to take him back to be retested or try somewhere else for a second opinion? I'm starting to feel guilty that I'm making him wear them all day and he can't see. I can't see anything out of them at all.

Any advice or personal experiences would be great!

OP posts:

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HumphreyCobblers · 21/04/2016 20:04

Definitely take him back to check, what if the lenses are the wrong way round or something?

dementedpixie · 21/04/2016 20:05

By all means go back and speak to the optician. He could just be getting used to wearing them. What prescription did he get?

HumphreyCobblers · 21/04/2016 20:05

sorry, that sounded really abrupt!

It could just be that he is getting used to the glasses, but there is no harm in checking.

BumpPower · 21/04/2016 20:06

What is the prescription? I am very shirt sighted (-14) and have always gone to a private opticians using NHS vouchers when I was a kid. spec savers don't make glasses for me, boots do but treated me like a bit of a circus freak (in a nice professional way!!). Def worth a second opinion foe your own peace of mind. Most people could see anything out if my glasses either fwiw

dementedpixie · 21/04/2016 20:06

He may also have poorer sight in one eye than the other (lazy eye) which can be treated with patching the good eye to make the other eye work properly.

almostthirty · 21/04/2016 20:07

No harm in checking buy I remember when ds got his glasses at 2 it was the first time he could see things clearly and it was really strange and scary for him and to him things did look unclear and weird as he was not used to seeing them in this way.

MagicalMrsMistoffelees · 21/04/2016 20:12

My son started wearing glasses for long sightedness and astigmatism when he was three. He's nearly six now and wants to wear them because they help him see better so no struggles about wearing them thank goodness. I had glasses as a child but refused to wear them and was basically unable to see until I got contact lenses when I was 12 so was so worried about my children needing glasses but it's ok now.

My son is under the hospital (who discovered his long sightedness when he had a blocked tear duct as a baby!) so I know his prescription is accurate and I'm confident they are looking after him properly. I just don't know about trusting a high street optician for my child - though that might be a bit groundless.

As your son is so little, can your GP refer you to the hospital?

barleysugar · 21/04/2016 20:17

He really ought to be seen at the hospital eye clinic rather than a checkup in six months, if he does need patching it will need to be properly assessed and looked after by an Orthoptist.

Your GP can refer him

Original poster

LONC2012 · 21/04/2016 20:18

Thank you all for your replies! I haven't had so many replies on a thread before!

He is long sighted -4.5 in his right and -2.5 in the left. I was surprised they prescribed his glasses when I went to ask about a test she said that at his age they would usually refer him to the hospital but they would try and do the test.
He hasn't got a lazy eye from what I can see but he has started to develop a bit of a squint while wearing the glasses. I don't know whether or not to stop him wearing them and go back, or see my GP?

Thank you all again for your replies :) X

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 21/04/2016 20:23

A - denotes short sight not long sight (long sight is +). Are they going to refer him to the hospital Orthoptist? Dd was under their care until around the age of 8. You can't see a lazy eye btw (you can see a squint but they are two different things). My Dd got referred through the HV rather than the GP as she had a squint - she is long sighted and has worn glasses since she was 18 months old.

Pico2 · 21/04/2016 20:26

GP referral definitely. I'm no expert, but your DS is in the critical period for sight development. If problems aren't fixed in early childhood then the brain can effectively switch off an eye and that can't be fixed later.

Original poster

LONC2012 · 21/04/2016 20:27

It might be + then i can remember the numbers but not the +- she did say long sighted though.
They didn't mention any referrals just that they would send me a letter in 6 months to go back and be checked.
I'm feeling now like I should stop him wearing them and speak to my GP? I didn't even think of that xx

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 21/04/2016 20:28

I am sure the optician can refer too, can you ask them when you go to ask about the glasses?

AugustRose · 21/04/2016 20:29

I am surprised that you had such an in depth eye test at Specsavers, eye tests that involved drops for children are usually done through a hospital clinic, not an optician. With the prescription you describe your DS should be seen again within 8 weeks to check it is correct, 6 months is too long if it is not.

I have two DC with glasses who are both very long sighted, DD got hers at almost 4 and and DS got his when he was 2. Both were referred via the HV and have only been seen by the hospital Orthoptist or opticians (other than choosing glasses).

I would ask for a GP referral but in the meantime go back to check the lenses are correct, your DS may find it strange at first but he should be able to see clearly with the glasses, that's what they are for and he certainly shouldn't develop a squint after getting them.

dementedpixie · 21/04/2016 20:29

Did they not give you a copy of the prescription? I always get a copy after each eye test.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 21/04/2016 20:29

Dd was 3yo and due to her age the optician referred her to the hospital and we were under them for years. Just normal short sight, no squint or anything. So she had all her tests done there, then we would take a prescription to specsavers for glasses.

If your ds says it's still not right you need it checking.

dementedpixie · 21/04/2016 20:31

My ds has had eye tests at the optician involving eye drops so not just done at the hospital (Dd was under hospital care and her current prescription is around +3 and +5, she is 12 now so no longer gets the drops in)

grannycake · 21/04/2016 20:33

My dd wore glasses from the age of 10 months. When she was about 3 they reversed the lenses by mistake and it was a couple of days before we realised so mistakes can happen. Get it checked out

CharmedImSure · 21/04/2016 20:35

I agree with MagicalMrs, take him to the GP.
My DS was 4 when he was diagnosed with a lazy eye, he is still under the care of the orthoptist and hospital opthalmologist so I know his prescription is accurate. DS gets is glasses from high street optician but I'm not sure I would trust them with his prescription (there specs are shit so not too confident in their skills as opticians)

Original poster

LONC2012 · 21/04/2016 20:36

I've just checked and he is +4 right and +2.25 left.

We were in there for just over an hour. First of all he looked at the hot air balloon picture, went in the room and did the eye patch and symbols, then she measured his eyes and had a look at them, put the machine infront of him that changes the lenses and did the colour tests. After that she put the drops in and then waited while I had my eyes tested and browsed the glasses. She then asked him to do the hot air balloon thing again and came back saying they were worse than she thought.

Nothing was mentioned about a referral to hospital just to come back in 6 months.
All your replies have really helped as I wouldn't have thought about the hospital eye clinic at all.

OP posts:

Gizlotsmum · 21/04/2016 20:39

Our health visitor got us referred . Son is 4 and has had glasses for 18 months. He is longsighted and needed patching ( up to and hour every day) for 16 months. I would ask for a referral. He never complained that his glasses made it harder to see....

RaeSkywalker · 21/04/2016 20:41

Worth getting checked. I got new glasses recently, as soon as I put them on I said 'I can't see properly', the assistant said I just needed to get used to them. Developed an awful headache within an hour, went back and told them something was wrong.

My prescription had been mixed up with that of another patient. The glasses had to go back to have the correct lenses fitted.

This has also happened to my grandad so it seems it's a relatively common occurrence!

Totalshambles · 21/04/2016 20:52

Sorry but forget specsavers. They are notorious for giving wrong prescriptions. Get a referral from your gp to your local eye hospital.

Original poster

LONC2012 · 22/04/2016 11:10

So I rang and spoke to the GP this morning. He said usually the tests carried out are very thorough and that he wouldn't just be able to refer me without investigation.
I mentioned that he is complaining he can't see correctly, that he is now starting to squint and that this morning he rubbed just above his eyebrow and looked confused saying 'mummy I think me still tired' which I think was actually a bit of a headache!
He said that they would want to see him have a proper look at his eyes and then refer him on if they thought he needed it.
Going to ring spec savers next and see if they can fit him in asap as I don't want him wearing these things if they aren't right!
Hopefully I'll soon have all the answers x

OP posts:

lanbro · 22/04/2016 11:19

He should definitely be under the care of the hospital eye department. Dd1 got her first glasses at 1 after getting a squint checked out and discovering she is long sighted. We have check ups every 3 months and I use a local independent opticians for her glasses. We even have prescription swimming goggles as she had no confidence without her glasses. Loads of kids wear glasses now and you can get some lovely ones now, very far removed from the nhs specs of the 80s!

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