Child needs glasses but refuses to do sight test!! HELP!!

[Leopleuradon]

I first took my son (5) to the opticians as he was squinting in december. He couldnt do the test as is not good with capital letters and apparently the picture sight test isnt overly accurate so they said to wait 6 months unless school said anything.

I had his parents evening at the start of this month and the first thing she said was that she thinks that he needs glasses as he constantly squints and is behind a lot of the other children in reading and is in a number of extra classes to help catch up. So I took him back a couple of days later. This time they attempted to use the drops but as soon as they put one in he was hysterically crying (he has some sensory issues²) and cried for a good hour after so they had to abandon the test.

They said that theres no point referring to the hospital and we need him in in the next couple of weeks as it looks like hes got a prescription that would need glasses so I've been waiting for the schools sight test that is this week but I've just found out it's not a proper sight test but a referral to get a sight test.

Does anyone have any suggestions because I'm really finding the entire situation rather stressful and dont want him to fall further behind

@Comedycook

Good old fashioned bribery is my suggestion.

Yep!

They should be able to give him a card with the capital letters on to point at which shape he can see if he can't remember the names of them all too. DS2 used those after pictures but before being able to read properly.

I would try a local independent optician. If they can't do the test properly they need to refer you to the hospital for it to be done properly.

Haribo is my advice.
Also, get some one else to take him to the appointment if at all possible.

@Billybagpuss

I’ll second the need for a small independent one. The problem with the bigger chains if they are very regimented and follow a specific script, whereas you need someone who can say, well that test didn’t work, let’s try this one instead.

Where in the country are you, I can recommend a good one in the SW.

I'm sorry that's rubbish (I'm an optometrist and I've worked for a range of different multiples and independents. There's no script!)

I would recommend calling round though, you'll get someone who used a chart with lower case. But, even if you don't we can use a light called a retinoscope to get a prescription - with or without co-operation. Unfortunately, eye tests in small children are not very accurate without the drops.
What you can do is ask to take the drops home, get your son to lie down and then insert 2 drops in the inner canthus with his eyes shut. They are a bit stingy.....

Always happy to concede to professional experience @underneaththeash. My apologies.

It wasn’t my experience when my dc were young and the independent one was the only time we had any positive experience. This was a while ago.

I've had a chat with my son and have been as honest as possible that we need to do it so that he can have some glasses and they will sting but it wont last long. I'm going to phone around and find someone who is good with children and I've told him he can have a maccies and lego if that doesnt work I'll see if I can get a referral for the hospital. He squirts so much it's a pain to even do he fields test because he cant keep his eyes open.

@underneaththeash Is an optom able to do both eye drops at once?

[quote Leopleuradon]@underneaththeash Is an optom able to do both eye drops at once?[/quote]
No, but I can do both within a second or two. Closed eye is much easier.

You can also get a referral, but our routine waiting times at the moment are huge and one of mine was rejected the other day as they didn't consider it urgent.....(tbh I didn't either, but parents were pushing for it)

@underneaththeash ah that's brilliant. I think that I'll ask if they can do that. The optom who did my sons did the first time then stepped back and gave him time to start crying after the first drop. I didnt think to ask to do them pretty much straight after the other as I thought it would be obvious... especially as I had told him that he finds medical procedures in general overwhelming.

I'm not sure how severe his prescription would be but his teachers have brought it up multiple times and hes behind all of the other children in regards to reading which is predominately off the board but he cant even do a fields test easily as he struggles to keep his eyes open and not straining for the time necessary. Thank you for your advice

@Leopleuradon

I've had a chat with my son and have been as honest as possible that we need to do it so that he can have some glasses and they will sting but it wont last long. I'm going to phone around and find someone who is good with children and I've told him he can have a maccies and lego if that doesnt work I'll see if I can get a referral for the hospital. He squirts so much it's a pain to even do he fields test because he cant keep his eyes open.

It is worth while chatting to the practice first. There are accurate non letter tests for young children or as someone earlier mentioned you can use a matching card with letters on if a child is too young to name letters. Some optometrists will not have access to the most appropriate tests provided in the practice they work in . Some optometrists also are more experienced at testing young children and are therefore likely to be more successful at examining them. Using eye drops gives a more accurate result in young children using a retinoscope , this does not require any response from the child but is done by using lenses which cancel out the movement of the light reflex when the retinoscope is moved in front of the eye. Unfortunately the drops do sting but a good technique and being able to distract the child makes things much easier. The school check is not a sight test it is a screening exam it measures the vision to see if the child is seeing at the expected level for age and if there is any difference between the eyes. If the level of vision is reduced children are then referred for further testing to find out why the vision is reduced which nay be at the hospital or with an optician depending on the service you have locally.