This is the question that parents Ellen and Robert Hopkins from Derbyshire recently had to grapple with after receiving a life-changing diagnosis. They learned that their son, Harry, has amblyopia, known as a lazy eye. This condition affects 7 to 14 million or approximately 2-5% of children every year. If it is not diagnosed and treated early, it can have devastating effects on a child’s vision. Harry’s first eye test was at six-and-a-half years old. At the time, his father referred to it as a “fluke,” not knowing yet the importance of early eye screening.
When this diagnosis was given to the Hopkins family, they were crushed. What they didn’t realize is that amblyopia is only treatable if diagnosed before the age of seven, meaning Harry’s late diagnosis was worrisome. For the last year and a half since his diagnosis, Harry has been wearing an eye patch. This improves his vision and helps make his weaker right eye stronger. In his home, his parents will tell you that progress moved very quickly at first but started to plateau after Harry turned seven.
Harry’s passion for reading has served as both an escape and a motivating factor throughout his treatment journey. His parents have been vigilant in tracking his progress. They are convinced that the patching continues to raise his visual acuity.
“We’d definitely like to have known about it earlier,” – Ellen Hopkins
The importance of early eye screenings have been reiterated by leading experts in the field. Jenny Smedley, an optometrist from PHE, explained that without regular, preventative screenings, hundreds of children like Harry would go undiagnosed.
“There is no way we would have known that there was a problem if screening wasn’t there,” – Jenny Smedley
She focused on the often overlooked, grave, long-term effects of untreated vision problems. These problems are not merely inconveniences, but rather they can deny children access to future job opportunities or receiving a driver’s license as an adult.
“And if they weren’t picked up, they wouldn’t be able to access certain jobs later on in life, or even drive a car when they’re older, so it’s significantly important,” – Jenny Smedley
It reminded Robert Hopkins of his own eye testing experiences as a child in public schools. He was shocked to learn that today’s kids do not get the same kind of checks.
“When I was a child I was tested in school, I can’t believe kids aren’t tested because with conditions like this you have a limited amount of time to make an improvement or not,” – Robert Hopkins
Craig Murray, another dispensing optometrist, agrees with these apprehensions. He points to an alarming phenomenon, where young kids are brought in for evaluation, usually too late to address the needs before them. This scenario illustrates the need for prevention-oriented, front-line interventions to detect vision issues early on, especially among children from low-income families.
“We are finding more of those cases of older children who are coming in and they weren’t screened, and now it’s too late for them to have that amblyopia treated,” – Craig Murray
Yet the hurdles of scheduling eye exams can be overwhelming for working families. Clare Hayes, an optometry school graduate and veteran. She noted that one of the biggest barriers for parents is making these appointments work around their schedules.
“It can be difficult for families with busy lives to make appointments at the opticians,” – Clare Hayes
Hayes wants parents and teachers to realize they shouldn’t ignore vision problems in children. This occurs as kids tend to adjust to their diminished vision over time.
“And as parents and teachers, we may not always detect difficulties that children are having with their vision because the children have adapted and got used to that being their sight,” – Clare Hayes
The Hopkins family’s journey is a deeply moving story that reflects the need for early eye screenings for children. By encouraging other parents to seek eye tests for their children—even before they learn to read—they hope to prevent similar situations from occurring.
