Children's eye health

Our aim

All children to have a full sight test before they start school, between the ages of three and four.

Our call to action

We are calling on national health and care service providers to:

  • update all guidance across the UK to signpost parents/carers to their local optician’s practice as their first port of call for eye health services and advice
  • include advice in the personal child health records (the ‘red book’) about how and why parents/carers should take their child for regular sight tests (every one-two years) from the age of three to four years
  • use and promote campaign assets to their audiences, with the core message of the importance that all children have a full sight test before they start school

We are asking all optometrists, dispensing opticians, contact lens opticians and other optical professionals who work with children to: 

  • support and promote this campaign within their place of work
  • refresh their skills around working with children, if needed

One in five parents

Don't know that school vision screening are not the same as full sight tests

One in five of parents

Don’t consider children’s sight tests as very important health checks

One in 10 parents

Feel it’s only necessary to take children for sight tests if issues are flagged

Guidance for Professional Practice

Eye health report

The College of Optometrists, Association of British Dispensing Opticians and the OSA partner in new campaign to raise awareness of the importance of children’s eye tests and better signposting for parents to children’s eye care professionals on the High Street.

In the news

New research shows that only 30% of kids always wear sunglasses on sunny days and more than a third of parents believe a hat or cap offers the same protection as sunglasses.

Latest campaign

ABDO, Boots Opticians, the College and Specsavers have all come together to deliver a public awareness campaign on the importance of children receiving a full sight test before they start school, around three to four years old.

Clinical file

Clinical files: Is a 6-year-old child too young for contact lenses?

More on examining children

Andrew Bastawrous talks about bringing eye care to some of the poorest people on Earth.

This review describes the typical characteristics and development of fixational, saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movements in children.

Create a welcoming environment to ensure excellent customer service for young and old, says Emma White.

This study evaluated a training programme aimed at increasing teachers’ knowledge and awareness of childhood vision problems.

Childhood visual impairment has implications for many aspects of the child’s development, including education and social interactions.

A clinical perspective on recent developments in the field of Infantile nystagmus (IN).

The current state of knowledge of the most common ocular/visual defects that eye care practitioners encounter in children with Down's syndrome.

This study aims to inform delivery of public health programmes directed at children most in need of community support.

Current practitioner-reported attitudes and behaviours relating to contact lens use among children and young people in the UK.

This article aims to acquaint reluctant practitioners with the theoretical knowledge they need to examine children aged 6 years or less.

Contact lens practitioners need to be able to fit the appropriate lens type for each condition.

This article provides practical advice for optometrists and other eye care professionals managing paediatric patients.