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

I think you should take your children with you when you have an eye test from a young age and I think the right age for a test is 5/6 once they start full time school or if you are worried about there sight beforehand and then yearly.

I think I took my son to opticians for first time last year when he was 4 and he behaved very well I think younger than that could be a bit difficult but always depends on the child. I have given my son sunglasses ever since he was about 1 or mobile enough to be out of the sun cover provided, but they don't stay on for long at that age so he always wears a hat. I wouldn't of thought children should wear contact lens until teenage years, I didnt' until i was in my 20s

My children have been having regular eye tests since they started school. At the moment neither of them need corrective lenses. I can't imagine young children using contact lenses although I know a little boy who used to use them for judo.

I tried three times to book an appointment at my local branch of Specsavers for my 4 year old son to have an eye test last autumn when he had just started school. I called and was told they don't see children younger than 5 or 6 because they need to be able to read. I thought the person must be mis-informed so tried calling again, but was told the same thing. I then asked when I was in the branch and again was told he was too young for a sight test - so I took him to a different optician, who was lovely, and i think I'll move my own care there. Specsavers - you might want to take this up with the Walthamstow branch if you are trying to encourage people to bring kids from age 3.

DS has had eye tests since he started school. He is a teenager now and uses glasses for short sightedness and astigmatism but I wouldn't allow him to use contact lenses. I'd worry that he'd be too lazy to deal with the hygiene and dealing with the hassle if they get lost. He's quite happy with that though and he says he doesn't like the thought of putting things on his eyes. I had contacts when I was 16 and even at that age I was pretty lax with my own hygiene (but thankfully had no problems) - and DS is worse than I was!

I think I've been kind of waiting for someone to tell me to get DD's eyes tested (she's 3) so this is a good prod to get organised and do it. She was very pleased with having 'sunshine glasses' last year, although didn't wear them consistently.

As for contacts, I can't cope with seeing people putting their fingers in their eyes to take them in/out so any child of mine would have to be able to do the whole thing with no help before I could think about letting them have them!

I first tried contacts at 12 and didn't really get on with them - perhaps I was a bit nervous - and decided to start wearing my glasses full-time. I wish I'd tried again at 14, as we went on holiday with my dad that year and I found it difficult to spend a day at a waterpark not being able to see anything. DofE expeditions in the rain were also a bit miserable with glasses although at least I didn't have to deal with lenses and campsites. I finally switched to contacts aged 18 and have never looked back.

I would say somewhere between 10 and 16 would be the best time to start using lenses assuming the child/teen can be trusted with hygiene. Sunglasses any time they can keep them on - from babies if necessary. DD is two and loves her sunglasses!

One of mine was mildly myopic at 10.

He got his first pair of trendy glasses which he needed only for looking at the white board etc. He was delighted with them.

Sadly, one of his friends made a couple of nasty comments when he saw him wearing his glasses and my ds then refused to wear them anywhere but at home.

His next eye test at 11 showed he needed correction all day. He was really upset at the thought of this, especially as he would soon be starting secondary school and does loads of sport.

He was thrilled when the optician (at Specsavers) gently suggested lenses. He went straight onto daily disposables with ease and he hasn't looked back.

His scheme means he gets 2 pairs of glasses too. He still has an issue with wearing them socially (the damage done but that boy 2 years ago) but he likes wearing them in the evening at home.

I think 3 is a good age unless they have obvious problems before or they are well advanced for their age x

My baby needed an eye test at the hospital and I was amazed at how quickly they checked her eyes, despite her looking all around the room and not really concentrating on the examiner. They really were very skilled in catching her attention and interpreting her eye movements.

She was seven months at the time, I thought it would be impossible!

I have taken DD2 (age 5) for an eye test. I am not sure about DD3 (age 3). I would like to take her but I am not sure if she would sit though it!

I wish I'd taken dd1 to get her eyes tested when she was 2, she was diagnosed with a lazy eye at 3.6 which had caused a squint, due to having fairly severe long sight in one eye. If it had been picked up earlier, she would have had glasses and her eye may never have turned in. As it was, she had 3 years of patching and an unsuccessful op to correct the squint. She's now 10 and her squint is quite obvious without her glasses, however the lazy eye has improved significantly with all the patching. She has worn prescription sunglasses since she was 7 or 8, as she sees double without her glasses on and coping in bright sunshine was hard for her. She's itching to get contact lenses so having read the OP I may well ask next time we're at the opticians.

DD2 (5) has been seen by optometrists since she was about 18 months old, just to ensure that she doesn't end up the same way. Thankfully she hasn't and has now been discharged. I'll still going to take her to the opticians whenever dd1 goes just to keep an eye (ha!) on her.

So I would strongly suggest to any parent of a toddler, definitely get them seen, it doesn't cost anything and it could save you no end of problems later on.

I've always took mine at 3. They have all enjoyed the experience and two out of 3 have neede glasses. Dd3 will be going for her first test in the next few months.

My DD has been wearing contact lenses since she was 9. started because we were going skiing and the optician recommended it as easier than glasses under goggles. She took 3 sessions to be able to deal with the lessons fully independently. She now also wears them for school on days she has netball. No concerns about hygiene - they are daily disposables and she is careful to wash her hands before putting in or taking out

Both of my daughters have had tests, luckily no need for glasses, but even my baby was tested and the lady who did it was brilliant. They used some special picture cards for her and apparently it showed nothing wrong for now. The 2 yr old had very good communication skills and instead of saying duck said swan which I was very surprised at lol!

I took dd before she started school. Now she's in her mid teens she has just started wearing glasses. I've said that as soon as she needs to wear them most of the time she can have contacts if she wants. I think she will be fine with them and would have been at a younger age, shes coped with braces and retainers well, so it's just a little more to the routine.

The average age given by MNers was 3. Specsavers advises children have their first eye test at age 3

Interesting- given that my local specsavers were unable to test DD1 until she knew her letters. Luckily she knew them before starting in reception, so I was able to get her tested at just turned 4. DD2 will start school in September, I just hope she knows enough letters to be tested before then.

I would like to know what Specsavers are doing to expand provision of eye tests for younger children. After all, children with sight problem s are likely to take longer than average to learn their letters. I find it a little hypocritical for Specsavers to recommend tests that they can't provide- or at least can't provide everywhere.

I took my children for eye tests around 4-5 years old and although thet didn't need glasses they have worn sun glasses since an early age as we live on the south coast it can be very bright in the summer, but always check the lenses are approved uva and not cheap ones.

I'd judge each child independently but my own dd went for an eye test at 3. Our logic was that we both have poor eye sight so would want to pre-empt any issues she might have.

Regarding contacts, again it is all dependent on the child and their needs/wants/hygiene/organisation.

I wouldn't personally do it for an under 13 but in some cases I can understand why it would be beneficial.

Yes to contacts for a responsible 10 year old
Definitely sunglasses from babyhood.
Eye tests I'd say whenever you think there might be a problem

Obviously if you think your child needs an eye test you should take them straight away but I think children should start as early as 3 or 4. Sunglasses should be worn as young as 18 months along with a peak cap.

My son aged three, managed to convince the staff at specsavers he was unable to see long distance. I smelled a rat when he began talking about a dog across the street, which he could clearly see in minute detail...

I realised he was after the Lego glasses, which he had seen when we'd been in for my eye test manipulative little toad

I had no idea when the right time was but assumed it was around 2/3