25 April 2025

Parents urged to take children for pre-school eye checks

The optical profession has launched a campaign urging parents to get their children's eyes tested, following a survey that revealed parents were less likely to take school-aged children for a sight test than they were for a dental check.

The research into children's vision and eye health, commissioned by ABDO, the College of Optometrists and the Optical Suppliers Association (OSA), found that 90% of parents would only consider taking their child to the optometrist if prompted by a cause for concern.

The optical community collaborated with the parenting site Mumsnet to look into nearly 8,000 conversations over a five-year period that mentioned vision concerns, combined with answers from an online survey of 1,008 parents.

They found that many parents were not aware that they could go to their local opticians with eye concerns, many did not know the recommended age for a first eye test and others thought their child had to learn to read before their eyes could be tested.

The group has recommended an urgent update to NHS guidance "to signpost parents and carers to their local opticians as their first port of call for eye health services and advice". This would free up GP appointments and other healthcare services, the report said, adding: "The UK's eyecare professionals have never been better equipped to address these issues. We just need to raise awareness among parents of when and where to go".

They also called for a change to the "red book" personal health record parents receive when a child is born so that it advises parents to take their children for an eye test no less than every two years from the age of 3 to 4 years, instead of recommending parents contact a professional only if they have a concern.

Rhiannon Evans, a spokesperson for Mumsnet, said: "It's clear that there is a huge amount of confusion around children's eye health, and while dental check-ups are a priority, eye tests often aren't. Our survey shows that many parents are confused about when and where to seek eye care for their kids, and they would welcome clearer information and better access to support."

The research found that 53% of parents would get a GP appointment for an eye infection and 34% would do the same with concerns about eye discomfort. As many as 8% said they would go to the GP about a change in sight or vision.

Max Halford, ABDO's clinical and policy director, said: "While many parents understand the importance of regular visits to their high street opticians, there remain areas where confusion persists around broader eye health. Both dispensing opticians and optometrists are in a strong position to help address these gaps in knowledge, providing crucial support to parents and ensuring the best possible long-term eye health for children."

Roy Stoner, OSA's chair, added: "For school, sport and leisure time a child's vision is vital to their development. Sadly, we have seen from the five years' of Mumsnet conversation data mining and survey results that many children are slipping through the net."

Dr Gillian Rudduck, president of The College of Optometrists, said the research had given clear insights into the lack of understanding about the importance of child eye health among parents in the UK. "Being able to see clearly is critical for children's overall development, and going for regular eye tests is essential to ensuring that children can see as well as possible and to detect and manage any eye conditions."

Meanwhile, Eye Health UK has launched a campaign this month for parents of children who have just received primary school places to make sure their children's sight is tested before they start school in September. A new report from the charity reveals that 70% of children start school without having had an eye test.

David Cartwright, optometrist and chair of Eye Health UK, said: "One in five children in the UK has an undiagnosed vision problem that will hinder their learning and development. It's often difficult for parents, carers or teachers to recognise when a child might be struggling with their eyesight. However, sight tests are free for all children at high street optical practices. Children requiring vision correction are also entitled to an NHS voucher that can be used to pay for glasses."

Taking children for regular eye tests is especially important; most eye conditions don't hurt so there is no way of the child knowing and reporting that they have a problem. Uncorrected vision can put children at a disadvantage, leading to struggles with learning and general development.

Common childhood eye conditions include long-sightedness, short-sightedness (myopia), amblyopia, strabismus and binocular vision disorders. Levels of myopia in children aged between six and 13 in the UK have soared in the past 50 years, according to a report by. At the age of six, about 22% of children will have long-sightedness.