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Children's health

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Original poster

6 year old eye test

18 replies

anexhaustedmum · 06/04/2022 09:58

Hi, my son had an eye test yesterday.. we've never had any concerns about his sight but he struggled to read anything below the second line and couldn't see the 3D images?
The optician has asked for us to go back today so he can have some drops to determine his prescription. Does this mean he will need glasses?
My husband and I don't wear them and neither does my daughter so it's a-bit of a shock if he does! I presumed nothing would be wrong.

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dementedpixie · 06/04/2022 10:03

The drops will help determine if he needs a prescription and may mean he needs glasses. My dd got glasses at 18 months which was also a shock as neither dh or I wore glasses. She will always need them and looks strange without them

underneaththeash · 06/04/2022 10:05

I'm an optometrist; he might do - or it maybe something else that's causing the vision to be less good. I'd be completely guessing.

BTW the drops make your pupils very big, so it's a good idea to take some sunglasses when you go. They also stop you from being able to see clearly, especially close too, so he won't be able to go back to school afterwards for a few hours or do much at home other than watch TV. The effects last usually for a few hours, but sometimes the pupils stay bigger for longer (especially in blue eyes).

Hope it goes well.

Original poster

anexhaustedmum · 06/04/2022 10:37

Thank you, I feel guilty if he does need them as it's his first eye test 🙈 I asked him if he had headaches very much and he told me he does at school but never tells me as I'm not there! We will see what they say at todays appointment.. thanks again!

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 06/04/2022 11:10

Do they not still do the eye screening before starting school? They should start eye tests early on and then children are eligible for annual eye tests after that

Original poster

anexhaustedmum · 06/04/2022 11:14

Not that I'm aware of, he hasn't had one anyway. Unless it's something that's not happened due to Covid 🤷🏽‍♀️

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 06/04/2022 11:17

Oh probably!
Covid seems to be an excuse for everything

underneaththeash · 06/04/2022 13:36

@dementedpixie

Do they not still do the eye screening before starting school? They should start eye tests early on and then children are eligible for annual eye tests after that

They've only just re-started....they're not very comprehensive anyway, but better than nothing.

Marblessolveeverything · 06/04/2022 14:00

Ideally kids should have an eye test as a toddler, but he will be sorted now. The other thing you can ask them to test for is colour blindness - its a simple exam looking at images with "hidden images". It tends to be in boys and runs in families but a lot of people are diagnosed on entering third level as they are assessed - electrician/pilot etc.

Original poster

anexhaustedmum · 07/04/2022 10:56

Just thought I'd update.. he does need glasses, his prescription is +3.50 and +3.25, they said his left eye muscles aren't working great? ..so will be referred to the eye hospital too.
Luckily he was really happy and has chose 2 pairs of Star Wars ones and he can't wait to get them!
Thanks again for your help ☺️

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 07/04/2022 10:59

Looks like he's long sighted then. Does he have a squint? Is that what they mean about the muscles in his left eye? It's quite usual to be under hospital orthoptist care at that age. Dd was under their care from 18 months until around age 7 or 8 and then she was discharged into the care of a local optician

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 07/04/2022 11:01

I got glasses about that age, I had no idea what I was seeing wasn't normal so didn't feel like I was missing anything. I vividly remember the moment I tried my new glasses on though and could suddenly see, it was amazing.

moonbedazzled · 07/04/2022 11:05

How lovely that he's so excited. I'm sure he'll be the envy of the class in his star wars glasses. I remember how it felt to suddenly see clearly so I know he'll be so happy to be wearing them.

Original poster

anexhaustedmum · 07/04/2022 11:27

@dementedpixie

He doesn't have a squint I don't think, one eye looks slightly cross eyed in photos but he was checked when he was younger and the hospital said it was because he had a wide nose bridge so it's never crossed our minds since! I'm just glad it's getting sorted, I've told him we will have a special day out when we collect them, the mum guilt is killing me 🙈 Does anyone know if he will be wearing them for life or is it something they grow out of?

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 07/04/2022 11:34

I'm not an expert with eyes but at +3 ish I don't think he would grow out of it. They can improve slightly as they get older but I wouldn't have thought it would improve enough to not need glasses.

dementedpixie · 07/04/2022 11:37

Or maybe they mean he has poorer sight in one eye compared to the other and might need patching treatment to help improve the vision in the weaker eye. My dd had patching treatment to improve sight in one of her eyes (this had contributed to a squint). She is long sighted in both eyes and will always need glasses

dementedpixie · 07/04/2022 11:39

And don't feel guilty OP. The only reason my dds vision problems were picked up was because she had a squint. We wouldn't have known otherwise

Original poster

anexhaustedmum · 07/04/2022 11:57

@dementedpixie

I'm not an expert with eyes but at +3 ish I don't think he would grow out of it. They can improve slightly as they get older but I wouldn't have thought it would improve enough to not need glasses.

What will be will be, he's happy at the moment and my nieces are all very jealous as it's fashionable to have glasses now in their schools 😂 hopefully all will be ok with the hospital referral and we can get him sorted. Thanks again for your help!

OP posts:

wonkylegs · 07/04/2022 13:13

When we took DS1 for his first opticians appointment at 8 (his teacher said he was struggling) I was quite shocked that I hadn't realised how little he could see.
He's now nearly 14 and he looks weird without glasses. We got him contacts for sport last year but he's not a big fan of them and prefers his glasses.
He really suits them and always manages to pick one that suit him. He's never had a problem with wearing glasses at school or with other kids. Having a spare second pair when younger has helped though when he managed to break a pair, now we have sunglasses as his second pair.
By contrast I hate picking glasses and think I look awful in all of them. I don't wear mine much - mainly for driving and have only had them as an adult.

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