Eye tests and glasses, young children

[Blessedbethefruitz]

Can anyone advise on how often children are able to get nhs funded eye tests and glasses please? Ds4 (almost 5) has been sent to a ptosis specialist but I've no idea on the wait time, so I've booked a specsavers test in the meantime to check just how bad his vision is. He's been reviewed every 3-6 months since birth at an eye hospital, this is the first regression.

He has congenital bilateral ptosis and we've just been advised to start patching. I don't want him to be waiting months for glasses if that's the case, but he's already pretty costly with other health issues! If it turns out his vision is pretty bad, but the wait is a few months for the specialist, would he get free glasses both times, or would we have to pay for the second set if they need fine tuning? No experience in nhs eye care, I'm slightly long sighted but don't bother with myself...

He is very unlucky (we have a second who has excellent health and luck), and is now awaiting 2 surgeries...

If he is seen by a professional and the prescription has changed they will issue new glasses. When we where getting things right for Ds he was getting new glasses every 3-4 months after each check.

ptosis is a droopy eyelid.
He may not need glasses.

Kids get one free NHS test (and then glasses if needed) per year.

If you ask for a second test, and there is no change to their prescription, you have to pay for it.

If there IS a change to their prescription (regardless of how long it's been since the last test, even if it's been three months) then everything is free again.

Thanks @CapturedLeprechaun that's the info I was hoping for!

He has not had glasses previously but has been monitored for a long time as his ptosis is moderate, covering less than half of his pupil, and they now think his vision is becoming affected, but wasn't before. So while he's had tests every 3-6 months, it's always been at the hospital with 2 different types of eye doctors, but never a regular optician, which is what they're asking for now.

So they've given us the name of a specialist optician, but if the wait is months (I'll call Monday) then I'd rather he see a regular optician in the meantime and get at least 'starter' glasses, even if they need more fine tuning.

my 4yo dd has had 3 eye tests since she was 3.5 years old (she’s nearly 5 now) with specsavers and needed new glasses twice. Each test was around 6 months apart. Have never needed to pay anything.