Protect your child’s peepers

Visual impairments can lead to development problems if they’re not spotted, so make sure you take your children for regular eye tests

We all want W the best for our children and looking after their eyesight is essential to learning and wellbeing. But surprisingly few people realise that all under-16s are entitled to a free NHS eye test every two years.

While most young children have their eyesight assessed in the first few years of their life, as part of their routine development, it’s often not as thorough as a complete eye test by a qualified optician.

Optician Dr Nigel Best says, “We recommend your child is brought in for their first eye test after they’ve turned three. This allows any problems to be identified early. Poor eyesight can cause learning and behavioural problems. Conditions such as a squint or amblyopia [lazy eye] can be treated more effectively if they are picked up earlier.”

All Specsavers opticians are trained to test children’s eyes and the assessment is very different from those for adults.

Dr Best adds, “We use specially designed charts that allow children to recognise shapes or pictures, rather than the traditional letter charts, so children can be tested even if they can’t recognise letters yet. We also evaluate the muscles and associated structures to ensure they are healthy, too.”

And should your child need glasses, Specsavers has a wide range of frames specifically designed for small people.

EYE EYE!

Getting your child’s eyes tested has never been more convenient as Specsavers has teamed up with Thomson Screening to deliver free vision-checks to every primary and secondary school across the UK. The software, which can easily be operated by teachers to carry out a three-minute preliminary test, helps identify any potential eye problems and suggests what the next best step would be. If your school hasn’t yet signed up, ask them to visit: