Does your child need glasses?

All babies will have their eyes checked at birth and then at about six weeks of age by a GP or health visitor.

 All children need to have vision screening for lazy eye (amblyopia) during their first year at school. This is to detect whether a child has reduced vision in one or both eyes. This is important because many children will not realise that they have reduced vision, and parents will not normally be able to see it by just looking at the child. The earlier any problems are picked up, the better the outcome.

If you have any concerns about your child's eyes, or if there is a history of squint or lazy eye in the family, it is important that you do not wait for the vision screening at school. Make an appointment to see us at the Clinic.

Children do not have to be able to read to have their eyes examined. It is possible to see whether the child has a squint, or needs glasses, without asking them any questions, using age appropriate tests and equipment’s. Eye examinations do not hurt. It might be necessary to put drops into your child’s eyes so that they can be tested to see if they need glasses and the backs of the eyes are healthy (cycloplegic exam). If this is the case for your child, it will be discussed with you in advance.

Once your child's vision has been checked it is important to continue with regular sight tests. Your child should have a check-up at least every year as problems can occur at any age and even if none of the symptoms described above are displayed there could still be an underlying eye condition.