The College provides the latest news, research, advice and guidance on examining children, and all the key optical topics. The College actively campaigns on improving Children’s eye health across the UK.
All children to have a full sight test before they start school, between the ages of three and four.
We are calling on national health and care service providers to:
We are asking all optometrists, dispensing opticians, contact lens opticians and other optical professionals who work with children to:
Don't know that school vision screening are not the same as full sight tests
Don’t consider children’s sight tests as very important health checks
Feel it’s only necessary to take children for sight tests if issues are flagged
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.
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.
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 files: Is a 6-year-old child too young for contact lenses?
Adrian O'Dowd examines how optometrists can prepare for and best handle a backlog of child myopia diagnoses caused by the pandemic.
Dr Louise Terry MCOptom on how her own experience of myopia is informing innovative ways to manage the condition in children.
MHRA agrees with the College view that chloramphenicol eye drops can be safely administered to children aged 0 to 2 years, where antibiotic eye drop treatment is indicated.
We provide advice on protecting the public's vision and eye health this summer. Scroll down for graphics you can use to help share our message.
Podcast: We answer questions there wasn't time to answer during the webinar discussing recent findings from the part College-funded Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction (NICER) Study.
Use our online resources and materials to support your continuing professional development and earn essential CPD points.
Emma Bennett explores the link between a rise in screen time during the pandemic and increasing levels of myopia in children.
The College has reviewed the evidence on the potential risks of using chloramphenicol POM eye drops for children less than 2 years old.
The College's position on the use of Chloramphenicol POM in paediatric populations.
From refractive error to dashed career opportunities, Kim Thomas discusses the lifelong consequences of amblyopia.
Podcast: Martin discusses eye-related issues to look out for in newborns with Dr Gill Adams and Daniel speaks with Mental Health Counsellor, David Beeney.
Podcast: We ask Dr Rowan Candy questions there wasn't time to cover during her keynote lecture on young children who are at risk for strabismus and amblyopia.