Can 3yr olds have eyes tested?

Indie_Kid

I pretty much got my eyes tested every 6 months from the age of 5 months until I was 11. The eye hospital decided that because there is nothing they could do, I just won't see anyone any more.

I can't remember at all what the tests involved. However, this was 1989-2000; so they've probably changed since then.

Madmel

We noticed DD1's etye was wandering - so her eyes were looking in different directions. I rang the HV as she was only 2 1/2 and the HV arranged for her to see the orthoptist at the local hospital which has a specialist eye unit. The orthoptists are specially trained to work with small children and all the props they had were geared up for them. One had a stick like a lolly stick with fairies and princesses which DD adored and they make it into a game.

They diagnosed long sightedness which was causing a squint and gave us patches to take away whilst we waited for the optician appointment. That was the one where they used the drops but the orthoptist was really good at distracting DD to get the drops in and we provided the chocolate buttons to calm her down.

As other posters have said, I can thoroughly recommend Specsavers. Their range is good and they are excellent with children. In fact, DD1 has a wonderful relationship with the main optician and he spends far too long with her now discussing eye health and showing her photos of the backs of diseased eyes. Not my scene at all but she loves it (and is now 11). We have always allowed her to choose her own glasses, after all she has to wear them, and we are just coming up to 9 years of it. The patching did a great job and her vision, whilst still long-sighted is almost the same in each eye.

elf06

I let DS pick his aswell and at the age of 4 I was worried we were going to end up with girly pink ones BUT as you say they are the ones that have to wear them. Thankfully he picked something slightly more sensible and we are back most weeks getting them adjusted :rotfl:trust a little boy to keep bending them . Went in yesterday to pick sunglasses for him aswell so we are sorted for the summer. Once his prescription settles I think we will go for reactive lenses but in the mean time I'll stick to a seperate pair