Eye care for children

You can start taking care of your child's eyesight from a very early age. Children in Northern Ireland are screened for eye problems within a few weeks of birth, then at two years old by the Health Visitor and in Primary 1 by the School Nurse. No further screening takes place after Primary 1.

Worried about your child's eyesight?

If you have any concerns about your child’s eyesight at any time, whether between these screening tests or after Primary 1, contact your your local optometrist (optician) to arrange a sight test or talk to your doctor.

Eye problems can ‘run’ in families. If you wore glasses as a child or have a ‘lazy’ eye, your child is more likely to have the same condition. If eye problems are not picked up and treated, early vision and learning can suffer.

Remember - the earlier a problem is found, the more effectively it can be treated.

How long does a sight test with an optometrist (optician) take?

This can vary. Most children will take about 20 to 30 minutes to test.The child may need to have eye drops put into their eyes to make the pupils bigger and easier to test, and then you should allow longer as the drops need time to take effect.

Is it the same as an adult sight test?

Older children are usually tested in the same way as adults. There are specially designed tests for babies and younger children and for some older children for whom adult tests are not appropriate.

Are children's sight tests free?

Children under 16 and full time students under 19 get free sight tests on the Health Service.

What if my child needs glasses?

Children who have been tested on the Health Service and are prescribed glasses, will get a voucher to help towards the cost of glasses.

Children can choose from a wide variety of frames, which are practical as well as fashionable. Plastic lenses are recommended for children - they are lighter and safer than glass.

It is important that children who require glasses wear their glasses all the time and especially at school. If your child is not using his/her glasses during school, this may cause difficulty in seeing the board or with reading and close tasks.

It may also make their eyes tired or cause headaches and affect their concentration. Any of these problems can have a significant impact on a child’s education, thus it is important that children who require glasses are encouraged to wear them.

The following advice is recommended to encourage and support children to wear their glasses:

• make sure your child’s glasses are fitting comfortably.
• are they too tight at the side of their head or rubbing behind their ears? are they too loose and slipping down their nose?
• it is very important that they are looking through their glasses not over the top.
• you should have your child’s glasses adjusted and tightened regularly by your optometrist/optician to ensure that they are fitting properly.
• clean the glasses regularly – grubby fingerprints make it much harder to see.
• explain to your child why he/she needs to wear glasses and how their glasses will help their vision.
• understanding why they need them often helps the child to be happier wearing their glasses.
• let your child’s teacher know that your child has glasses and why they need them and ask the teacher to help encourage your child to wear their glasses.

Some children may also be attending the orthoptist or hospital eye clinic. It is very important that any treatment is carefully followed and glasses are worn full time.

If glasses are required and not worn this may affect the development of your child’s vision. It is also very important not to miss appointments.

What if they break or lose their glasses?

Children under the age of 16 are covered for loss or damage of their glasses. You can go to any optometrist/optician who does Health Service eye tests and get a repair or replacement form.

You will be asked to say what happened and the optometrist will give you a voucher to help with the cost. If you go to a different optometrist from the one who provided the glasses in the first place, you will need to take a copy of the original prescription with you.

Children aged 16 and over are only entitled to help if the loss or damage of their glasses was caused by a disability. Your optometrist can tell you how to get help.

Can children wear contact lenses?

Children can be fitted with contact lenses and your optometrist will be able to advise you on their suitability. It is the child's decision whether or not to wear contact lenses and they will only be provided if they themselves want them, and if their eyes and prescription are suitable for contact lenses.

Children must be able to put the lenses in and out themselves, and understand the need to look after them properly.

Colour Blind (colour defective)

Colour vision defects mainly affect boys and are easily diagnosed by an optometrist. There is no treatment for clour vision defects but it can affect career choices.