Children’s Eye Tests: Why Early Checks Matter
Proper eye checks are important for everyone, including children of all ages. Not only are they a big part of maintaining healthy eyes and eyesight, but they also ensure any issues are picked up and managed appropriately as children grow up.
From some of the common eye symptoms to look out for, to the reasons why routine eye tests are important, we’ve covered the most frequently asked questions about children’s eye tests to support parents and carers.
Why it’s important to get your children’s eyes tested
Firstly, they can help with the early detection of any eye-related problems. The earlier these can be spotted, the better, since you’ll have plenty of time to discuss any necessary treatment options and next steps with an eye care professional.
Eye tests can also help with children’s development, as addressing any visual problems earlier can reduce the impact on any difficulties with learning e.g. at school and ensure their overall development isn’t hindered by any eye related issues.
Kids might not know they have a vision problem because what they’re seeing is normal to them. Therefore, it’s good to keep up with routine tests to detect any problems and ensure these aren’t left untreated or unmanaged, which could otherwise lead to further issues.
Eye symptoms to look out for in children
Children may be less likely to effectively communicate if they’re experiencing eye problems and might not know they’re having issues in the first place. That’s why parents and carers should ensure they’re aware of the most common eye symptoms and how to spot these.
If you notice any of the following symptoms in your child, we recommend seeking the advice of an eye care professional or GP.
Headaches and eye strain
Frequent headaches and eye strain are common symptoms of some eye-related conditions, and if a child is experiencing either or both of these, it should be mentioned on a visit to an eye care professional or GP.
Squinting/screwing up eyes to see
If a child is squinting or partially closing their eyes to improve vision by creating a "pinhole effect," to help with their focus this should also be mentioned to your eye care professional or GP.
Difficulty reading
Issues with reading on a screen or paper may include missing words and needing to physically move closer to a piece of text to read it properly. Any reading difficulties in children should be monitored over time and brought up at an eye examination.
Having to sit close to the TV
If you notice that your child needs to physically move closer to the television to see it properly, this could indicate a refractive vision problem.
Problems with hand-eye coordination
Hand-eye coordination issues, such as thinking objects are further or closer than they are, could suggest that a child is experiencing eye-related problems. This could mean that a child reaches out for a toy but reaches too far or not far enough, or that they struggle to put objects down correctly.
Difficulty concentrating
Concentration problems in children might mean that they struggle to focus their sight on different activities for longer periods and could indicate an eye-related issue.
Irritated or sore eyes
A child complaining of irritation or soreness in their eyes might be experiencing an underlying condition, such as dry eye.
Clumsiness
While clumsiness might simply be a part of your child’s personality, it could also indicate issues with vision. For instance, knocking objects over frequently without meaning to might suggest that your child has difficulties with depth perception.
Eye rubbing
Children may excessively rub their eyes when they’re experiencing eye-related conditions or vision problems, so this symptom should be monitored and mentioned at routine eye tests.
A wandering or drifting eye
Wandering or drifting eyes might indicate an issue with the eye muscles and should be flagged with an eye care professional.
How often should children have an eye test?
Children should have their eyes tested frequently as part of a range of general health examinations they’ll undergo throughout their early life, from being a newborn until the teenage years.
As a newborn
A newborn’s eyes will be checked within 72 hours after birth as part of a physical examination. Their eyes are usually checked again when the baby is between 6 and 8 weeks old at a follow-up newborn health check.
As a baby, between 1- 2 ½ years old
Parents may be asked if they have any concerns about their child’s eyesight as part of health and development reviews. This will include anything they’ve noticed about their child’s eyes or eyesight.
Upon starting school, around 4 or 5 years old
Once a child reaches school age, at around 4 or 5 years old, they might be offered vision screening tests to help with early detection of problems. These are usually performed at their school, but if not, they can be arranged with a local optician’s practice.
After that
Keeping up with eye tests throughout childhood is important for maintaining healthy eyes and detecting problems quickly. All children under 16 years of age are entitled to an annual NHS sight test, and under NHS guidance, parents should take their children for an eye test every year. However, it’s worth remembering that the recommendation for your child might be more frequent, depending on initial test results and advice from an eye care professional.
Are children’s eye tests free?
NHS sight tests are free for all children in the UK aged under 16, and for young people under 19 if they’re in full-time education. Some children and young people may also be entitled to optical vouchers to help with the cost of glasses or contact lenses if required.
How your children’s eyes may be tested
At the first part of your child’s appointment, the optometrist may ask for a general overview of any concerns, including insights into the child’s general health and family history. Once they have all the background information they need, they’ll move on to different eye tests, which we’ll explain in more detail below.
Vision test
A basic visual test is commonly offered to check how well a child can see. With children who can’t speak yet, this might involve an attention test. During this, an eye care professional will choose an interesting object and move it around in front of a child to check whether their eyes follow it. Older children who can’t read yet might also be shown pictures and asked to explain what they see.
Refraction test
Refraction tests are usually used to establish if glasses are required, and if so, which prescription should be offered. Your child will be asked to look at a light or read letters on a chart, depending on their age, while different lenses are placed in front of the eyes. With this test, children may be given special eyedrops to temporarily relax the muscles inside the eye – this helps eye care professionals obtain a more accurate assessment of the refraction and need for glasses.
Binocular vision and eye coordination test
To check whether both eyes and the eye muscles are working together as they should, an eye coordination test may be conducted. An interesting object will be moved up, down, left, right and halfway between each point in front of a child, and during this test, the eye care professional will look out for any signs that may indicate issues with coordination.
Eye health check
Eye health checks for children are usually performed as part of the recommended annual check-up. These checks are often non-invasive and will involve the eye care professional looking for common signs of several eye-related conditions. If symptoms or concerns are apparent, they may refer your child to a specialist for further testing.
Colour vision deficiency test
A colour deficiency test can be done when problems with colour vision are suspected. Checks may involve several methods, including the Ishihara test, this involves a circle filled with different coloured spots. There is a number “hidden” in the spots, in different colours. For very young children who cannot yet read numbers this test may be performed using shapes. When a child’s colour vision is normal, they’ll be able to recognise a number/shape within the image. But if a child can't distinguish between colours, they might struggle to spot the number/shape, suggesting a possible colour vision problem.
Common children’s eye conditions
Children can be born with or develop vision problems, hyperopia and myopia are common refractive errors which can cause vision problems at any age. In modern-day environments, children may also be at a higher risk of developing dry eyes.
Eye tests offer opportunities to detect common problems alongside more serious issues, which can be diagnosed and managed with the help of an eye care professional.
Understanding children’s eye care as a parent or carer is important, and we hope you found our guidance and advice helpful.