Are children's eye tests always free?

[LadyCad]

I just could not understand the woman in my local Specsavers today. She kept talking about vouchers and twice she said "might not cost anything".

I just gave up in the end.

DD had her eyes tested less than 12m ago. I've booked her in for another test as she's getting headaches. Am I right in thinking the test will definitely be free but if she needs new glasses they will charge for those?

It is free. Even if she needs new glasses. (Unless she chooses the designer ones, which will cost between £20 and £30 iirc.

what age is your dd? DD is 6 and can get glasses from the free range at the opticians. We chose alternative frames the last time and paid £29 for them. She has her appointments through the hospital orthoptist as she was diagnosed as being long-sighted from the age of 18 months.

Oh thankyou Maureen.

Whatever was the woman on about then? Something to do with it being less than 12m since her last appt. I think I may cancel and go to the independent down the road.

I agree, the test is free, glasses are free, if you choose the basic frames (which are perfectly nice). I had to pay for a spare set of glasses though for my DD, as they would only give her one pair on the NHS.

She's 9 Seona.

How much for the spares stripey?

Specsavers quoted £64 today.

£64?

at our optician test are free, but the vouchers only cover the cost of the lenses and I pay for the frames (independent, non-chain) - am happy to do that as I am very protective about eyes, and have had bad personal experiences with chain opticians - YMMV.
Only time I've had to pay for a child's appointment was when DD1 needed an emergency "problem with her eye, need it diagnosed" appointment, every sight check has been free, even if they've been as often as 3 months apart.
Check with the independent how they charge - ours are very upfront about their charges, but they do give fantastic service.

according to this page it depends on whether the test is deemed as clinically necessary. Maybe she was talking about that as your dd had a test less than 1 year ago.

I have shopped around with opticians as some charge for things others dont e.g. thinning of the lenses. We now use a local independant optician.

OK, thanks.

But the test itself is always free for children, is that right?

No its not always free for example if you had a test 3 months ago and decided you wanted another - just to check - then it wouldn't be free. However, if she's having problems as you mentioned headaches then it is free.. Hope its all okay

At the optician that we use if we get a spare set glasses with the basic frames (the ones that would be free on NHS) the optician charges £36.

Thanks all!

In most cases its free. The Lady in question was actually doing her job as per NHS training stipulates. A child who is on a 12 mth recall MIGHT have to pay for a test unless when the optician tests her she finds a change in her rx or there is some other problem and she needs referring to hospital. Tbh a lot of people with children do get them tested earlier than the 12mths because they fancy a chance of frames or a spare pair for the child and if there is a change in rx then they get the free eye test and voucher for the new glasses.