Routine vision screening for children is no longer provided in Derbyshire schools. Your child will not be given a sight test in school. It is important that all parents and carers take their children to an optician for regular eye health check-ups. This is called an NHS sight test. We recommend you take your child when they reach school age, between the ages of four and five years old.
An NHS sight test can pick up many vision problems, not just the need for glasses. NHS sight tests for children are free.
Don’t wait until your child has a problem with their eyes. Make an appointment with your local optician ahead of your child starting school.
To learn more, and watch a video about the importance of getting your child's eyes tested, please visit: British and Irish Orthoptics Society - Vision Screening
What difficulties can be identified during vision screening?
- Squints, also known as Amblyopia or lazy eye
- Long sightedness
- Short sightedness
- Other difficulties which can be escalated by an orthoptist
Vision screening in Derbyshire
Vision screening is offered free of charge to babies, as well as to 2- to 3-year-olds and 4- to 5-year-olds just before they start school.
To learn more, please visit: NHS - Eye tests for children
Vision screening is not consistent around the UK, and is not offered in a large part of the Derbyshire Health Authorities. Consequently, vision difficulties are being identified later, when the child attends school at around the age of 7.
Children are entitled to a free eye test under the age of 16, or under the age of 19 if they are in full-time education.
Early identification of vision difficulties
Whilst vision difficulties can be identified and treated at the age of 7, there are several factors that need to be considered:
- Because the child is older, later treatment is not always as successful as early treatment
- The child may not wish to follow treatment recommendations such as patching due to being seen as 'different'
- The child will have lower school attendance due to appointment commitments
- They may not reach their full potential in learning
What can you do?
Monitor your child and if you recognise any of the signs below, please take your child for a sight test.
- Bringing items closet to them
- Squinting
- Having unusual bumps
- Unusual behaviour - if they can't see something, they cant tell you verbally
- Not recognising facial expressions or missing directions from an adult or friend
- Complaints of a headache
- Or more obvious signs such as both eyes failing to move together, or one moving inwards or outwards
What next?
It is useful to speak with an eye-sight professional if you are concerned about your child's eye-sight or book a free of charge visit to a high-street optician. If the optician detects something more, they will discuss this with you and may escalate it to hospital orthoptists.
Hospital orthoptists offer a more thorough examination which may or may not lead to a diagnosis of vision impairment. The hospital would then typically refer onto the Vision Impairment Team for support. The Vision Impairment Team would only intervene and support the child in schools if there is a medical diagnosis of a vision impairment, and if the child has recently visited an eye specialist.
Contact
For further tips and advice, please visit:
Derbyshire Local Offer - Vision Impairment Team
Email: Claire.Cotton@derbyshire.gov.uk
Principal Qualified Teacher of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment