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

My DD is 4 and she's not had an eye test yet - I feel bad reading this and it's a really good reminder that I need to book her one (and me!). I had a lazy eye has a child so had loads and loads of eye tests so I should have been a lot more on the ball (although she doesn't have a squint).

As a toddler she wore my sunglasses - she really wanted to (still does!) so I went with that. I'd be happy for her to wear contacts whenever she was ready to, physically and in terms of maturity - I'm guessing 11 ish? But it will depend on the child. I really want to wear contacts myself (can't due to a slight astigmatism) so I wouldn't want to say to a child who was ready, no.

I'd say about 3 years old

My little one had his first sight test at 6 months old - okay, not a sight test as such, but squints run in my family (I had one, my mum had one and my dad had one) so the GP suggested getting him seen before he would routinely have an eye test. We had to have another one for him at a year and then 18 months. Everything was fine and he doesn't need to be seen until he's 3 now.

I think 3 is a good age to have a first eye test, but that it's also important if there is a history of eye problems in the family (especially squints which tend to appear at an early age) to get checked before then so it can easily be picked up on.

I hadn't thought about this properly until now.

I think an eye test may be on the cards for my daughter and she is 4 this year. Yes, it would be a good age to get it checked out as she is now at pre-school.

Contact lenses, I think probably it depends on how the individual child feels. My husband occasionally has a lense fall out, or get displaced, and I'd be wary of this happening in school I think.

Sunglasses for fun for toddlers - if they want to wear them, good. But doubtful they'd keep them on at a young age - it's like hats! When they get to around 4, they may be more persuaded to wear them.

I have put sunglasses on my son since he was a baby. We tried to keep him out of the sun as much as possible but otherwise he was wearing his Baby Banz.

He is coming up 2 now and I will look to take him for his first eye test at around 3 unless I think he needs to go sooner.

I probably wouldn't consider contacts until much older, maybe 12 or so.

Ds had his eyes tested when he was 3 1/2. Glad I did as he had astigmatism which we are trying to correct with glasses. I think things like eye teste, dentist etc are good to start young so they get used to it.
He doesn't wear sunglasses but will maybe try to get him to wear them on a sunny day. I'd prefer him to wear a hat that covers his neck and eyes though.

I reckon 4/5 is about right for a first test unless there's anything to suggest that the child may need an earlier sight test eg blinking, struggling to read things, sitting too close to the TV

I think 5 is the ideal age for the first eye test as children are able to follow instruction and also read the letters at this age.

I think if you have any concerns you should speak to your Dr then you can get a referral to the child optometrist which is what i have done with my child... I think age 4 is a good time to start eye tests.

I realise this isn't going to make Specsavers very happy, but actually the national screening guidelines recommend orthoptic-led screening for children of four or so. This is primarily to test for amblyopia ('lazy eye'). Which you have to catch early, or it's a permanent condition.

You don't use letters for the test if you can't read. Illiteracy isn't an excuse.

I would be very careful suggesting a child used contacts - done too much on contact-related eye conditions. How many adults, let alone kids, keep their contacts in when showering or swimming?

Re sunglasses: although I do think they're a good idea there isn't that much evidence, in fact, that the sun is going to damage the vision per se. Retinoblastoma (childhood eye cancer) is an inherited condition, and the leading cataract specialists say that the link with cataract is pretty weak too.

I'm going to return to my feature on eyes and gene therapy now...

Probably 5? Or if I notice them squinting?

My daughter has just gone 2 and hasn't yet had a test, although we would be thinking of taking her when she is 3. Both hubby and I wore glasses from a young age and would be very surprised if she doesn't need them.

I honestly had no idea what the right age was to take my son for an eyetest, I knew he had a basic check in his reception year but apart from that I wasn't sure when he needed to go to the opticians. We went to Specsavers when he started a new class and complained that he couldn't see the board, turned out he was quite shortsighted and they kitted him up with some lovely glasses, Star Wars ones, which he adores and made it easier for him to get used to wearing them as he thought they were very cool!

I would think eye tests should be from about 3. I don't like the idea of contacts until 13 or 14. Sunglasses could be worn at about 2 or 3.

DD has just turned 1 and we've been advised we can request an eye test in the next few months as both DH and I are short-sighted.

My dad is blind due to detached retinas and botched treatment when he was younger so I've grown up having annual eye tests and see it as a normal thing to do, like going to the dentist every 6 months.

Contacts-wise I tried them at 14 and just didn't get on with them (my prescription meant I had to have the permanent hard lenses). I waited a few years before trying again and thankfully technology had moved on meaning I could have soft lenses. I only wore them on and off and can't be arsed with the faff these days and stick with my glasses

my son is 14, I'm thinking of getting him some transition glasses as he never remembers to carry his sunglasses with him or put them on, and the bright glare in the summer gives him headaches. He was in a school play recently and the teacher suggested contacts might be a good idea as the stage lights can cause glare on his glasses, but we didn't have time to organize getting them, I think if we get some in the future I'd be inclined to get him daily disposables for occasional use.

I think around the age of 6 or 7 is the right age to start having an eye test - younger than when I was at school due to the increased use of technology

Would you let your pre-teen have contacts - not unless I was 100% sure that the hygiene was going to be scrupulous.

Have you taken your school aged child for an eye test - yes.

How do you keep sunnies on your toddler when they are having fun in the sun - not sure toddlers need "sunnies" if they're wearing adequately brimmed sunhat/cap?

I wouldn't like the children to wear contacts as they can easily loose them, besides glasses are more stylish nowadays

I took my DD1 for an eye test at 3. Thankfully she passed it, but we were lucky to also have a Specsavers ophthalmologist who was brilliant with my daughter. She had another test when she started school too (just over a year after her first test) and I will take her back to Specsavers again this summer, so that she continues to have annual tests. I will take DD2 for her first test this summer (when she turns 3 in Aug) and repeat annually too. I don't know much about buying correct sunglasses and usually just get them in high street shops. It would be good if advice on wearing sunglasses was giving when kids have their eye tests I think!

DD is only 2 so haven't taken her for an eye test yet. She has sun glasses but is more interested in wearing them inside....

I took dd for her first eye test last year when she was 3. We need to back this year but I'm a bit worried she might tell fibs because she wants glasses.

I think the advice is reasonable although not always doable. My DS wouldn't wear sunglasses until now (he is 2 and a half) despite being Winter he wants to look "cool" although in the bright sunshine of Gran Canaria last year there was no chance of him wearing them. As for an eye test if he would sit still for longer than one minute that would help in that department!

I think around age 3 is right for the first eye test

as soon as they are able. My son has astigmatism and as a toddler used to sit up very close to the TV. He had an eye test at 3 showing he was shortsighted and has been wearing glasses ever since. Children should wear sunglasses to protect their eyes as babies.