As an adult we become aware that our eyesight may be changing and can take ourselves to the optician to be checked over. With children however, it’s much harder to tell when issues might arise, particularly if they are not really old enough to understand the need to tell parents if they have reduced vision.
Currently children in Staffordshire are given an eye test at approximately 5 years of age. Morgan Arthur, Director of David Arthur Opticians in Lichfield, recommends that parents bring in children for further eye tests every 2 years following that, unless otherwise advised by their optician.
As a family owned local business, the team at David Arthur has been caring for many of their patients from childhood. They are passionate about the need for more frequent testing to be carried out on children’s eyes as they grow and develop.
“The important thing is to catch any potential issues early, and regular checking every two years will help. Of course, if you are concerned about anything between tests, you can always come in and have an interim check,” Morgan advises.
If you are aware of any changes in your child’s vision, or notice signs that there may be a problem, such as sitting closer to the television, watery eyes or frequent eye rubbing, headaches or closing one eye when drawing or reading, visit David Arthur for a short test.
Eye tests are free of charge for all children in full time education up to the age of 19 at any NHS registered optician, including David Arthur Opticians.
