Back to school: parents encouraged to prioritise children’s vision

Families are being encouraged to ensure their children are “eye-ready” for the new school year with a routine eye examination.

Optometry Ireland has highlighted the effects of poor eyesight on learning and emphasised that parents with any concerns should bring their child to a local optometrist.

All children are entitled to a free state-funded vision screening in primary school, which usually takes place during Junior Infants.

Optometry Ireland advised that parents should not wait for this if they have an immediate concern.

Liz Grennan, acting president of Optometry Ireland, recommended an appointment “if you notice eye rubbing, closing or covering of one eye, if their eyes are not lined up when looking at an object, or if they complain of not being able to see the board clearly to take down homework.”

Sharing advice for families, Grennan said that while poor eyesight can affect children’s learning, this can be easily avoided with the right treatment or glasses. She said: “A routine eye exam can be carried out with your local Optometry Ireland optometrist, who are in 250 locations nationwide.”

Grennan recommended limiting screen time and encouraging time outdoors, noting the potential role these factors play in the development of myopia, and also advised studying with good lighting.

“Complaints of tired eyes or headaches after school can be a sign of an eye problem. Eyes continue to grow and develop so it’s important to monitor on an ongoing basis and your local optometrist is there to help,” Grennan shared.

Calls for eye care programme

The representative body for optometrists in Ireland has also pointed out an “urgent need” for a public eye care programme in Ireland for children over eight years old – and has called on the Government to fund this in its Budget 2026.

Grennan told OT that, in Irish law, children have a statutory right to free eye care, explaining: “Currently this is provided in Health Service Executive (HSE, the public health service in Ireland) ophthalmology-led eye clinics up to the age of 12.”

“However, over the age of eight, there is no clinical benefit for children being retained in HSE clinics,” Grennan said, adding that discharging eight to 12-year-olds to community optometry would “dramatically” reduce lengthy eye care waiting lists.

A national public eye care programme for children over the age of eight was costed, a plan approved, and funding ring-fenced by Government 12 years ago, Grennan explained, but was not implemented by the HSE.

An updated ‘over eights eye care plan’ was recently resubmitted and agreed to by the Department of Health, though the plan still awaits funding approval.

Grennan shared: “Optometry Ireland is calling for this to be approved in the Irish Government’s 2026 Budget, which will be announced in October.”