When’s the right age for your child to have an eye test? What about wearing lenses or sunglasses? Share your thoughts with Specsavers - you could win £250 NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

Back in November, Specsavers commissioned a survey of MNers with a child aged 2 to 12 to find out what age parents thought children should have their first eye test.

The average age given by MNers was 3. Specsavers advises children have their first eye test at age 3 – because "Learning difficulties can sometimes be caused by uncorrected vision problems, so the earlier they can be detected, the better the chance of correcting them" say Specsavers.

The average age given by MNers was 15 for first wearing contact lenses – in fact Specsavers say they can be worn from age 10 - "we often find children quickly enjoy the many benefits of wearing contacts from a young age."

And for sunglasses – MNers thought they should be worn on sunny days from age 2 – Specavers says "many people aren't aware of the dangers UV rays can have on the health of your eyes - we'd recommend all children wear sunglasses on a sunny day!"

Please share your thoughts on the above on this thread - would you let your pre-teen have contacts, have you taken your school aged child for an eye test and how do you keep sunnies on your toddler when they are having fun in the sun!?

Add your thoughts to this thread and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £250 voucher from here

Please note Specsavers may use your comments - anon of course - on their pages on MN, on their social media or possibly elsewhere - please only post if you're happy with this.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

DS, now about to turn 8, had just turned 4 and was about to start school when he went for his first eye test and we found out he was very long sighted.
He went through 3 pairs of frames in the first 6 months (thank goodness for Specsavers coming to the rescue by putting the lenses into new frames each time).

Two years ago we went for reactions lenses to save the hassle of swapping to sunglasses / losing them. Now his prescription has changed slightly they will need replacing. Prior to wearing glasses he had worn sunglasses from a toddler.

I would let him try lenses when he is sensible enough to properly care for them, which at the moment seems like never!

I have asked my local specsavers repeatedly when I should bring my children for a test as I go every two years- they've always said only if they seem to have problems so I'm surprised to see specsavers recommendations on here.

My children had their first eye test at 4 with the NHS before starting school and I think 3 is a good age. I would allow my children to wear contact lenses if they were more hygiene conscious and wouldn't play rough games...for this I think that maybe 14 would be a good time.

For sunglasses, I started buying them when my children were 2 and before that I would let them wear a cap that shaded their eyes or an umbrella on the pram. I am aware on the danger of the sun so I am very careful.

DS had eye tests from very early on as both DP and I have seriously bad eyesight. He was discharged from the eye hospital at 4.5 with the recommendation he has them checked at 11/12 as there is a slight problem.

He was tested again at 5, through the school age 5 health check, who recommended we take him to an optician.

I'm going with the eye hospital view - he has no problems, sees clearly able to spot small details far and near and doesn't complain of any kind of tired strained eyes and he reads a lot.

My son had a sight test at age 4.5 in reception. If he had complained of any issues or we has seen it ourselves - then I would have taken him to the opticians myself.

They love sunglasses and don't need much encouragement to keep them on.

Specsavers might want to update their branches with this information. I have asked my local branch twice, including today, when I should bring my child in for a test and both times was told age 5-6.
Today I was told that if I thought there was a problem with the sight of my DS, I should go to GP first and they would refer, but Specsavers couldn't test at his age (nearly 3).

I'd say about three years old. When they can see a trip to get their eyes tested as a mini adventure so they don't have a bad experience.

My children were both 3 when they had their first eye tests. I was fully aware of the benefits if catching this early. Aged 3 I had to wear glasses, thankfully I was happy to wear them and by ages 10 I no longer needed them. I was advised then that due to fixing my eye sight problem early it really did help. I still don't need them and I'm 32.

My son had his first eye test at 2 to rule out a a squint. I'll tak ehim again ebfore he goes to school at 4. He has sunglasses and likes wearing them during the summer. I am not sure about contacts for children - they've been a hit & miss for me for years due to eye shape.

My LO had his eye test at 3 years old. Never had a problem with him but my 16 year old nephews no has had awful eye sight since he was born, struggles to find anything to help him. By this, I mean he plays top level football and is not happy with the thought of contact lenses pressed against his eyes. I'd love to know if there's any alternative to help him play his football better, without the risk of breaking his glasses.

Nope, sorry Specsavers, I'm all for testing children at four (or earlier if they squint) but contacts at ten sounds like a recipe for eye infections and quite frankly a nasty stab at consumerism for the very young. Contact lenses are plugged as glamourising and "easy" when they are invasive and even the most sensible ten year old may fall asleep with them in or forget to change them if eg on a sleep over. I think 16 is a more sensible age to rhink about them, and then only if they really want to be responsible and are aware of the cost and faff involved purely for the sake of vanity/appearence....

I'm going to be honest here and say that at 10 & 13 my DDs have never had eye tests... This has prompted me to get them booked in though so thank you.

I would say though that I'd let my girls choose themselves if they decide to wear contacts at any point.

I found it impossible to get my girls to wear sunglasses at toddlers but they love wearing them now & have quite a collection

I've been thinking about contacts in children a bit more, and I wouldn't hesitate to let my DC have them, if they requested them and understood the importance of replacing them and the hygiene. I'd only want them to have daily disposables though, not ones that need cleaning and storing. And I think the age I'd agree for them to have contacts would depend on each child and their personality and how likely they are to be able to look after them properly.

I had contacts for about 15 years, and they genuinely were life changing. My vision is shocking and going swimming, for example, meant I couldn't see where I was going as I couldn't wear my glasses. Contacts plus goggles was a revelation. They made PE easier, nothing to slip/get knocked off and broken. They made me more confident and removed a bullying target (although I know things have changed considerably re glasses in the intervening time - they're cool now).

I was taken at the age of 10, by which time my eyesight was a bit worse than it should have been - my father had Glaucoma. I think 3-5 is the right age.

Until I tried contact lenses myself I would have been wary of letting my pre-teen son use them. However, now I know more about them I would have no hesitation in him using them if he wanted.

All my children have had regular eye tests from being a young age. My eldest son has profound special needs and was under opthamology for his first 9 or 10 years and both my younger children had scares (one with a funny white eye on photographs and the other with headaches) so the opticians seemed the obvious answer. I have to say that the optician was wonderful with them and fortunately for me all 3 of my children have good eyesight. I have a friend with a daughter who is registered blind and I know of a young child who lost his sight due to injury. It's such a precious sense - not to be taken for granted. Ensure regular eye checks to ensure good eye health.

I think tests in primary school is about right but as long as any concerns are communicated to parents to then proceed with any necesary follow up. I had tests in primary school which showed a weakness in one eye but because my parents worked and they could not get in touch with anyone during the day it went missed!

I think 3 is a good age to have a childs eyes tested. Eyesight is so important and is sometimes overlooked. My daughter is 2 and takes sunglasses off and won't wear them but I try to get her to use them as much as possible.

I don't think I'd let my preteens wear contacts, if they needed them. I think you need to be a bit older to understand about how to look after them properly. I haven't taken our school aged children to the opticians, but they don't appear to have any problems seeing things. I don't have toddlers now, but when they were younger my children loved, and still do love, wearing sunglasses.

I left it to my school to pick up - I hadn't realised that they could get registered with an opticians so young! My kids had eye tests age 5 and both were fine so it wasn't a problem. My eldest though, at 9 had headaches and my gp suggested taking her to the optician, I did, and she was prescribed glasses which solved the problem.

my son is nearly 5 and planning to test him shortly as has had a couple of headaches

I think I'll take my daughter when she's 2 as I have absolutely terrible eyesight and I'd be concerned about her inheriting it. (I was -8.75 in both eyes, had laser eye surgery, had perfect vision for a year, and now they're both -2.5 again!) I try to put sunglasses on her now - she's 18 months - but she won't keep them on for a minute. I wore contact lenses from the age of 11 so I would let her do the same, but would make sure she took much better care of them than I did. (There were many nights as a teenager when I'd sleep in them...a terrible regret now!)

My daughter had hers tested at school when she was 5 in Reception class. I hadn't realised she needed glasses at all but after she'd got them she told me she'd had a problem seeing the whiteboard in class sometimes. I think she got them at around the right age but worry that maybe I should have taken her to the optician a little earlier as a matter of course, like getting her used to the dentist. I don't think I knew you could have their eyes tested any earlier, having nobody in the family who wore glasses from an early age.

off to get son's eyes done this week. I will now def ask about sunglasses.

Tbh this had never crossed my mind.

Have taken my 3 year old for an eye test - but have no idea how to make her keep her sunglasses on, nagging doesn't seem to work!