Referral to the Hospital Eye Service Following School Vision Screening v9

Vision Screening 

Your child has had his/her vision screened today by an Orthoptic assistant. It has been recommended that s/he is referred for further assessment.

The aim of the screening test is to try to pick up vision problems that you may not be able to notice at home. Your child has been asked to match a series of letters (they do not need to know their letters for this). There are many reasons why your child may not have passed this test. The next step is for your child to be assessed fully by an Orthoptist (Specialist in children’s visual development). 

Orthoptic Appointment

Following your child’s screening test today, a referral will be made to the eye department, and an appointment will be sent out to you. At this appointment your child will have a full eye test by an Orthoptist, this is made to be fun for the child. If the Orthoptist does not find any problems with your child’s vision you will be discharged. 

If the Orthoptist feels there could be a vision problem, your child will then see the Optician, this may be on the same day, or we may arrange for you to return if the optician is not available on that day. Using a special light, the Optician will do a check of the back of the eye to ensure it is healthy and well developed and he/she will also do a glasses test. To do these additional tests, it will be necessary for your child to have drops in their eyes.

These drops make the pupils large which enables the Optician to see into the eye.  The drops take approximately 30 minutes to work. The drops will blur your child’s vision for close work for the rest of the day.  Your child is still able to go to school, but you are advised to inform the teacher of the blurred vision.  Your child’s pupils may be large for at least 24 hours. Your child may also be light sensitive, so you are advised to bring a hat or sunglasses.

If your child does need to see the Optician, you may be here for approximately an hour and a half. There is a children’s waiting room and baby changing facilities. We do not have facilities for drinks or snacks.

If your child does need glasses, you will be given a prescription to take to your local opticians You will then be sent a follow up appointment with the Orthoptist for us to monitor his/her progress.

We understand you may be concerned that your child has not passed this test, but there are many reasons for this, and it is important that the Orthoptist does a full assessment before we determine if there is a problem or not.

We look forward to meeting you and your child and an appointment will be sent in due course 

Orthoptic Department

Entrance B

Second Floor 

Wigan Health Centre

Frog Lane

Wigan 

WN6 7LB

Telephone: 01942 822310 (Monday to Friday 8:30am until 4pm).