Children's eye care on the NHS
The checks every child gets, the signs to watch for, free glasses and what happens if a problem is found.
Checks every child gets
Babies have their eyes checked within 72 hours of birth and again at six to eight weeks. These checks look for cataracts and other problems you cannot see from the outside. Health visitors ask about your child's sight at later reviews. Most children in England are offered a vision screening check at school between the ages of four and five, which looks for reduced vision in one or both eyes. Not every area runs school screening, so if your child has not been checked by the age of five, book a sight test at an opticians.
Sight tests are free
Every child under 16 gets a free NHS sight test, and so does everyone aged 16 to 18 in full-time education. An optical voucher helps with the cost of glasses, and many opticians stock frames fully covered by the voucher. A child does not need to be able to read to have a sight test. Optometrists use pictures and shapes for younger children.
Signs worth checking
- Sitting close to the television or holding books and tablets close to the face.
- Rubbing the eyes a lot, frequent headaches, or tiring quickly when reading.
- An eye which turns in or out, even some of the time, after three months of age.
- Tilting the head or closing one eye to look at things.
- Clumsiness, bumping into things, or falling behind at school.
- A white reflection in the pupil in photographs. This needs an urgent check.
Why early matters
Vision develops until about the age of seven or eight. A squint, a strong or unequal prescription, or anything which blocks a clear picture can stop one eye developing properly. This is amblyopia, often called lazy eye. Treatment with glasses, patching or drops works best when started young. After the age of about seven, improvement becomes much harder.
What happens if a problem is found
The optometrist can prescribe glasses and arrange a referral to a hospital eye clinic. There an orthoptist measures how the eyes work together and an ophthalmologist checks eye health. Treatment plans are made for the child, and the team shows you how to manage glasses, patching or drops at home. Schools can make adjustments, such as seating near the board and larger print, so tell the school what the eye team recommends.
Sources
Checked 4 October 2026. Official pages change, so follow the NHS page for the current position.
Educational information, not medical advice. Not yet clinically reviewed. Your own eye-care team's advice comes first.