Out of sight, out of mind: parents and carers' understanding of sight tests for school aged children
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Healthwatch Surrey spoke to 87 parents via a survey and via engagement events about their understanding of the need for sight tests for school aged children.
Only half reported that they took their child/ren for a sight test annually; 1 out of 5 said that they didn’t visit regularly. Almost no parents took their child to tests from the age of 10 onwards.
The main reason (three quarters) residents took their child/ren for sight tests was because they wanted to check their child/ren’s vision having been prompted to do so by school or a health care professional, because of a family history of impaired vision or because their child/ren had reported signs that suggested difficulties with their vision, such as headaches.
Whilst most parents were happy with the service, parents of neurodivergent children reported a mixed service.
A third of parents/carers said that they don’t see the need to get their child/ren’s sight tested.
Just over a half of respondents said that they did not know the criteria for free sight tests and optical vouchers for children; when Healthwatch told them, just over a half said knowing the criteria would make a difference to them taking their child/ren for sight tests.