Optométrist

[tostaky]

When DC3 was 4, he had an eye test in school and i had to take him to the eye nurse in the local clinic. She very kindly recommended a very good optometrist, 30 minutes away from where we live but hey, if he is good then of course i want my little darling to be seen by the best!
DC3 got glasses and DC 1 and 2 an eye test. A year later DC1 was told he needed hlasses (he was in Y4) and every year i would get a new eye test that would confirm the need for glasses and every years the lenses would have to be changed... a few years later DC2 was told he needed glasses too. But he rebelled! He said he didnt need any... i made him a pair anyway.
Then i thought ok, it is a nightmare, esp with traffic, to go to that optometrist.. let's try someone local... i took DC3: no need for glasses...
Not sure what to do, i took all three DCs today to a recommended local optometrist and again: no-one need glasses!
I am furious... for years i paid for unecessary glasses, i was nagging my kids to put their glasses on, emailing teachers to remind them to wear their glasses (of course they were not wearing them!!). My eldest even tried contact lenses and got very distressed about it...
All this for nothing!!!! Abusing of his position as a professional to prescribe to young children (DC3 was 4 the first time!) glasses they dont need!!
What is the best way to complain? I hate to think that this optometrist does the same to other families...

I can't help you on this issue but I'm commenting to bump .

I had cataract surgery and was posted to a specific optometrist for my post op check up as the consultants don't do this check up anymore.

I went and had a very thorough check up whereby I could 'properly see' during the appointment.

I , stupidly , declined to use them as they were pricey and I wanted the two-for-one offer on the High Street.

So I got the offer on the High Street , which wasn't really an offer as the small print was for single vision lenses , which I can't have.
£800 later I'm left with glasses that warp my vision and make me feel like I'm off kilter. I was told to suck it up basically and that my eyes would self rectify.
But at the post op private optometrist I could see very clearly from all angles.

There's clearly an element of you get what you pay for but the High Street store was very 'meh' about my prescription.

Go with your gut instinct but the mainstream providers are staffed with assistants.
I think you need to see a properly qualified ophthalmologist.

@tostaky what were their prescriptions?

below the age of 7, children eyes need their optimal visual correction in order for them to develop properly. So whilst most children are long sighted, we now know that smaller prescriptions (eg +2.00 in a 4 year old) need to be corrected, or they risk getting amblyopia. Same with smaller astigmatic prescriptions.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1444-0938.2011.00600.x

as they get older children tend to become a little less long sighted too. So for example my daughter, was +4(ish) when she was 5 is now +2.50 at age 13.

@Kemblefordsnice if you can’t see with them, take them back. there is an eye care resolution service if you’re not getting anywhere.

My son needed glasses from age 4-9, wore them as requested. Now older, there's no need for glasses. He's always visited the same optician, his eyes improved, she confirmed this.

The NHS child eye care voucher should cover frames and tests for children, you shouldn't have to pay. On occasion I've had to a pay a top up if he wanted a more expensive frame.

I always took NHS frames but with anti-scratch and something else. Times 2 for two kids i often had to pay £80 by the end of it
I think the NHS boucher covers only part of the frame/lense?

I have calmed down now so i wont complain but still, i am not going to recommend him!

@tostaky he’s looked after all your children, he’ll want to explain. Just write to him. As I’ve posted above, with children it’s not just a case of not giving glasses meaning they can’t see so well, it’s that their vision might not develop properly.

Prescribing glasses in children depends on a lot of things, their muscle balance between the two eyes and the relative pull and push when the eyes converge (called the AC/A ratio) and any difference between the eyes.

The optometrist will not mind at all - I honestly wouldn’t and it will (hopefully) put your mind at rest.