Been told dd2 needs glasses, when none of us had previously been aware of any problems with her vision. Anyone had this?

[NuzzleandScratch]

I took both dds to have their eyes tested, just because I thought I ought to. Dd2 is nearly 5, and we've been told she is quite long sighted. She had the drops put in on our second visit, before various tests, which apparently confirms things. The prescription is +5 (I have no idea what this means), which is apparently quite strong.

All this is fine, but dh and I are feeling a little bewildered when neither dd, us or her teacher have ever noticed any problems with her sight. She has learnt to read very well. Has anyone else had this? Is it just a case of her having got used to how she can see, and not realising there's an issue?

I'm quietly a little bit upset about my little girl having to wear glasses (we were advised she should wear them all the time), but will of course accept it and not let on to dd. I realise this is trivial in the great scheme of things.

Would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar experience.

@AllHailTheSunDog That's exactly what they've said they'll do. Glad to hear that's standard practice.

Thank you All.

I'm an optometrist and I had exactly the same experience with my own child. I've always done a basic check with the children when they were little to check for squints, unequal visions a small children are meant to have be normally long sighted due to a process called emmetropisation.
Anyway I tested my own daughter last Easter and found that she was +4 in both eyes. I test my children annually anyway and the previous year she'd been around +2 (not abnormal for a 3 year old). Apart from an slightly slow reading speed, I had no indication...often children with a high plus prescription have double vision or a squint, but if they have a low ac/a ratio - which is a low level of eye turning as the eyes converge to read - there are usually no signs.

Small children have an enormous ability to focus their eyes to overcome hyperopia (a + prescription) and sometimes the only signs are reading fatigue.

1 year later DD finds it much easier to read with her glasses and now wears a +4.50DS.

If she has equal visual acuities in both eyes and no squint without her glasses, there is no need for a referral - it is unnecessary for both of you, the optometrist will refer if there is a problem.

Please pm me if you like any more info!!

I think it must be quite common. I only got glasses when I was 9 and walked into a lamppost on holiday that I hadn't seen. I'd be moved to the front of the class so I could read the board but no one had thought to take me to the optician! My parents both had good eyesight so I don't think they even considered it.

Looking back as an adult I found their attitude quite odd - they always told me
Not to wear my glasses all the time in case I got dependent on them (an impossibility as I'm -5 and everything gets blurry within six inches of my nose). Mum cried in front of me and they told me I'd be teased and have to work harder at being attractive as a teenager! Looking back that's bonkers and I'm so glad things have changed. Glasses are cool now - I have several friends who wear plain lensed glasses for fashion reasons.

Your little girl will be fine - at least you know now and she can adjust to glasses.

(I'd also say don't worry about the eye drops - once they're in it's not uncomfortable at all.)

No we had the same but dd started to squint so it was picked up sooner thsn when she started school. Same pescription. They can force themselves to focus with long sight so its often not apparent to you or to the child until they realise how much better they can see once they get glasses

Minus prescription cause vision to be much more blurred than positive prescriptions at that age... so a +4 may not need to wear glasses to late sport for example, but a -4 would need to wear full time.

DD is wearing her glasses more, but porobaby still only 25% of the time

But I need to re-irrerate this is beacause she has equal acuities, no squint and a low ac/a ratio.

NHS Scotland runs a screening programme for eyesight / visual problems for all 4-5 year olds. As a result, it's now common to see wee children with glasses or with patches for lazy eye treatment.

Thanks so much for the replies, much appreciated. @underneaththeash I do have a couple of questions I will pm you, thanks so much for the offer.

@Nightmanagerfan sorry your parents weren't supportive. I won't be like that, we've bigged up the glasses, and dd seems excited.

I was diagnosed short-sighted during school health check when I was about 6. I am VERY short sighted - we lived near the coast and M&D would point out ships which I could never see, but evidently used to just nod and say 'Oh yes', and I used to sit about 6 inches away from the TV! You adapt to not being able to see very well, but it was like a miracle when I first put my specs on.

When DD was about 7 I took her for an eye test and she got glassses
A couple of years later I took her for a check up and had DS with us too, think he was about 7 too. He fancied " a go" and the optician said she would as she had some time and it turned out he needed glasses!!
Got a 2nd opinion just to make sure and yes, he did need them

My 7 year old also recently got glasses for long sightedness, +3.5 prescription. It hasn't affected her ability to read at all, I think it just meant her eyes were working harder to focus. We only noticed because she developed an intermittent squint. We're on 3 monthly checkups like you, so I think that's normal.

I was 10 when I was diagnosed as short sighted, but I hadn't realised I couldn't really see the board at school. The NHS glasses were vile, but I didn't get the option to get other ones until I was 15, when I was advised to start wearing them all the time. I wore contacts for years, but 2 years ago I had laser eye surgery. I still need reading glasses, but that's no big deal. Both my DDs have glasses. One only wears them sometimes, although she should wear them more, and the other now wears them all the time and notices a huge difference. As another PP says, wearing glasses is not considered a 'bad thing' any more. And about time, too!

My ds was given glasses aged 9. He's pretty short sighted. It was awesome seeing him put his glasses on for the first time and see the world clearly. His tennis has improved no end.

I feel very embarrassed here as my dd was 14 when l realised she couldnt see in the distance!! It happened at a match my ds was playing and she couldnt understand how l could distinguish one player from the other at the far end of the pitch. I was shocked. She always thought thats all anyone could see. Wears glasses now for all distance stuff and especially now she is starting to drive. I couldnt believe in the optician that she couldnt read from a few lines down especially in one eye. I always had perfect vision so never occured to me .
Think if they have a problem reading its flagged much earlier.

Just thought I'd update on this. We went for a second opinion today, with a private optometrist, and essentially he confirmed that the first diagnosis and prescription were correct. However, he took a lot more time explaining everything to us, and advised that dd2 will be able to see, but her eyes will be having to work hard to do so. As she gets older, this would mean it would be difficult/tiring for her to read for longer periods of time. He's recommended a slightly lower prescription, which should be easier for her to adjust to.