second opinion

zoby

Im just wondering what others would do


my daughter is 12, has been wearing glasses since she was 3. Her prescription has only ever changed from +5.5 to +5 but on her last exam last week it is now +3

I have always found the staff excellent but the guy who we dealt with last week just handed me the script and seemed a bit :rolleyes: when i asked him to explain the change. He said to get the new glasses with the new script and keep the old glasses in case the new ones didnt work :eek: When i questioned him on that he gave a bit of a grunt and shrug. Again i questioned as to why they wouldnt work and he pulled a face and said oh she can be checked again next year - when i told him she will be in secondary school he just told me to take her to an opticians (wheres the banging head smiley when you need one )

I have decided to get another test done (privately) - this is where my question lies Do i tell them about the first test before or after they test and if they come up with another prescription which one do i go with

jwcurtin

I'm no expert... But when puberty starts the eye starts to develop. This is normally at the same time as a growth spurt... Maybe it could be true, but the opticians attitude doesn't help.... A second opinion can't hurt.

I have had a few growth spurts in the last few years, and my eyesight went from perfect at the 2008/start of 2009 to -1.0 in Jan 2010 to -1.75 currently....

I mightn't be any help, but ask the private optician what he thinks, and go with what he says.

blackeyedpeat

Vision is a skill learned from birth and developed up until the age of eight. Its a bit like walking and talking we all assume it happens naturally. some people if they don't meet the normal milestones need therapy in the form of spectacles, patching, exercises and as a last resort surgery.
As your child is now beyond eight the best possible vision has been achieved and hopefully the childs eyes see equally well, are straight and can coordinate information together in the brain. At this point it is safe to consider gradually reducing the prescription to see how the eyes manage and encourage them to work for themselves. If you child is coping well in the new prescription the optician may reduce the prescription further next year and gradually try and get your child out of spectacles over the next number of years.
you need to see does your child complain of headaches eye strain or complain of increased difficulty reading and struggle in school. if this is the case the optician may consider increasing the prescription or returning it to its original level.
In addition the amount of Longsightedness/hyperopia tends to reduce as the eyeball grows so some of the reduction may also be down to that.

As a parent i always say trust your instincts and if you feel something doesn't add up get a second opinion. Again ask before you book an appointment is the optician happy to and used to seeing children of that age