02 February 2026
How an optometrist navigates the sight test can shape how children feel about eye care for years to come.
A flexible and fun approach can help to ease the sense of trepidation children may feel when they are confronted with an unfamiliar adult in an alien environment filled with strange equipment.
This ability may seem innate when observing an experienced optometrist but – like any skill – it can be refined and developed with practice.
Below, OT gathered insight from optometrists about their experience of testing children early in their career, as well as their tips for newly qualified optometrists.
An empathetic approach
Urquhart Opticians optometrist, Holly Shearer, told OT that as a newly qualified optometrist it can be a challenge to find a rhythm and routine when it comes to children’s sight tests.
“Learning what tests are most appropriate at what age was helpful,” she said.
She highlighted that her own experience as a glasses wearer from a young age informs her approach.
“I can relate to the young patients getting glasses for the first time and know how important it is for them to have clear vision and love their glasses,” Shearer said.
In terms of her tips for newly qualified optometrists, Shearer encouraged practitioners to be flexible with their routine.
“Every child is different. Prioritise key tests in the beginning as I often find attention is lost as the test progresses and don't be afraid to review a patient or finish testing another day,” she advised.
You need to be flexible, opportunistic, and prepared to follow the child’s lead
Optometrist and practice director of Peter Ivins Eye Care, Craig McArthur, observed that the approach taught within university to an eye examination is methodical, deliberate and sequenced.
“Applying this structured approach to a child’s examination simply does not work. The biggest challenge as a newly qualified optometrist was accepting that a child’s eye examination is not like an adult eye examination,” he said.
“You need to be flexible, opportunistic, and prepared to follow the child’s lead. You must also accept that you may not gather every piece of information you would ideally like in a single visit. Prioritising tests based on the individual child and their specific needs is critical,” McArthur emphasised.
The optometrist told OT that he grew up in a large family – his mum is the youngest of 10 children, while his dad is the middle child of five. McArthur added that his mum worked in childcare.
“I grew up surrounded by children. This gave me the communication skills and natural behaviours needed to connect with young patients and put them at ease in the consulting room,” he said.
McArthur shared that in a child’s eye examination optometrists can detect conditions that can shape the course of their development.
“You genuinely have the opportunity to change someone’s life,” he said.
“Even now, later in my career, I truly enjoy examining children. My aim is for the family to refer to me not as ‘the optometrist’ but their optometrist,” McArthur emphasised.
His top tips for early career optometrists are not to take themselves too seriously and to make the sight test fun – even if this means acting silly or making jokes.
“Child-friendly pen torches, sensory toys, and an engaging consulting room can make a significant difference,” McArthur shared.
In his consulting room, McArthur has a 3D illuminated moon, a cloud projector, and a laser star projector to help maintain attention during retinoscopy.
McArthur shared that building trust with the child and their family is essential. However, this may take time.
“Many paediatric eye tests involve 20 minutes of play followed by a few minutes of clinical examination to create a safe, enjoyable experience the child will return to,” he said.
Turning the sight test into a game
Ian Cameron, IP optometrist and managing director of Cameron Optometry, shared with OT that a day spent with a community orthoptist during his pre-registration year helped to shape his approach to testing children.
“Everything was a game, with a running commentary throughout: ‘I doubt you can read anything as small as this… oh wow, you can’,” he said.
“I wasn’t naturally good at it, but copying that style helped me connect fast,” Cameron observed.
He added that silence rarely works with young children.
“Either they’re talking, or you’re talking: asking something simple, narrating the next step, or praising what they’ve just done,” Cameron said.
Optometrist at Leightons Opticians in Chandler Ford, Rebecca Rushton, shared that getting children to follow instructions as a newly-qualified optometrist can be a challenge.
“I had to learn to get their attention, hold it as long as possible and do what I need to do quickly,” she said.
Rushton noted that children are rewarding to work with because they help her to see things from a different perspective.
“Kids say the funniest things,” she said.
“Those occasions where my prescription has improved their attention and learning always makes it worthwhile,” Rushton added.
She advised selecting tests that provide a large amount of information and completing these early in the examination.
“Accept that you probably won't complete anything to the same standard you can with an adult but do the best you can,” Rushton said.
Locum optometrist, Frank Eperjesi, shared with OT that as a pre-registration optometrist he worked within the hospital eye service.
A key challenge that he navigated was putting in drops for cycloplegia and dilation.
“The eye drops sting a lot and no matter what I said or how gentle I tried to be, the child always cried,” he said.
His key advice for early career optometrists when testing children is to always believe the parents.
“If a parent tells you that they have seen one of their child’s eyes turn in but you can’t detect it, believe them and ask someone with more experience to give you a second opinion,” Eperjesi said.
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