* * * * * * * * REGULAR EYE TESTS FOR CHILDREN * * * * * * * *

[Yorkshirepudding]

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hadn't thought of it either. So what age did he say they should be taken in to get tested? BTW I also didn't have my eyes checked for years as I can see fine so didn't think to go. Then someone who does go said that they check for other things too and I should go. Went and all was fine but they don't just check sight do they so we should all go really.

Does anyone know, if my my eye test would be free? I have an NHS expemption certificate.

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ds had his first eye test last month, at 9mo. this is the earliest they can be tested. i took him because there is a history of myopia in my family, and i wanted it to be caught early if there was a problem.

even if you're not concerned, take your dc anyway, as Yorkiegirl says, it's free and it's 20 minutes out of your day.

I agree every parent should take their child for an eye test from the age of 4. DD is 5 and had one and is long-sighted but luckily doesn't need glasses yet but the optician recommended another appt in 1 year.

My parents never once took me for any eye test when I was a child, I was about 19 having my first eye test and guess what? I have a lazy eye and I am long-sighted no thanks to my parents. This is why I made sure DD had an eye test and I will do the same for DS when he is 4.

People seem to think that a lazy eye means they have a definate turn in the eye which is quite obvious but I can tell you this, you could never tell by looking at me that I had a lazy eye as it very rarely turns only when I am tired. But my vision in my left eye is crap even with glasses which I wear all day.

So yeah get your kids eyes checked.

my kids have an eye test once a year.ds has worn glasses since 4 and dd had a bubble detected at the back of her eye during eye test at aged 6,her eyes are fine but still take her when i get a reminder to take her.

I agree every parent should take their child for an eye test from the age of 4. DD is 5 and had one and is long-sighted but luckily doesn't need glasses yet but the optician recommended another appt in 1 year.

My parents never once took me for any eye test when I was a child, I was about 19 having my first eye test and guess what? I have a lazy eye and I am long-sighted no thanks to my parents. This is why I made sure DD had an eye test and I will do the same for DS when he is 4.

People seem to think that a lazy eye means they have a definate turn in the eye which is quite obvious but I can tell you this, you could never tell by looking at me that I had a lazy eye as it very rarely turns only when I am tired. But my vision in my left eye is crap even with glasses which I wear all day.

So yeah get your kids eyes checked.

OK, slight cautionary tale the other way. I am very shortsighted, and dh is very long sighted. We both have astigmatisms, dh's being quite extreme (he has had two operations on his eye). So when ds started to blink in a bit of a weird way at round about 3 1/2 4, we took him to the optician, and again six months later. Both times they said it was absolutely fine, so we thought it must be something else. When ds started school they worried about his behaviour (they were convinced he was autistic because he didn't respond well to other children's body language in the playground). So he had a check up by the school nurse. As part of that check she did a very basic eye test, and he was referred to the community optician, who diagnosed him (with no great difficulty) as being very long sighted. We then saw a consultant at te specialist eye centre would said that the results of his eye tests at the optician were wrong, as sight doesn't deteriorate that fast. If his eye probalems had been picked up when he was little it is likely that being treated at that age might have ment that he would not have to wear glasses for the rest of his life. Now ds is a very wriggly child with concentration problems and dyslexia, so eye tests are difficult for him, but it seems to me that what matters is making sure that the tests are done by opticians who are good with children or have traingin in this area because otherwise they can give you completely false reassurance. If I had had more time back when ds was diagnosed I would have kicked up a big fuss about it with the PCT, because I think that they were negligent.

Both my dds have had glasses from a young age. DH had probs as a tot and we were warned they could be hereditary. Optitian (specialist with kids)monitored their eyes from 6 months (at first just by looking into their eyes then later with pictures) DD1 had glasses for long sight from 16m and DD2 from 2.6. Optitian explained that glasses support the eye muscles as they are developing (bit like a splint on a broken leg). By age 8 or 9 they are more or less developed and stay that way. Quite often the probs with eyes are not apparent until child has difficulties at school by which time- TOO LATE! Agree that most people don't have eye checks early or regular enough. Most mums start dental checks from 3. WHy not eye checks too? They are free!!!

Also glasses are not like old NatHealth ones we had when I was little. DD2 has just got a fab modern pair (black fronts and wide red arms) from specsavers which all her non specky friends want as a fashion item! Totally free and replaced free too if they break!

Quick bump for this one

DD is going tomorrow 2.6

Optician said this was the perfect age to start them having regular eye tests