Parents turn a blind eye to sight tests

Half of parents with school-age children wrongly believe their child’s sight is routinely tested in schools, a survey suggests.

The polling of more than 1,200 parents by the Association of Optometrists found that 52 per cent of parents with school-age children believed their child’s sight was tested in school. Although tests are available in some schools, they are not offered routinely. The association say delaying sight tests until after the age of four can lead to permanent eye problems.

Sight tests are free for under-16s on the NHS.