Kids all scream for ‘eye screen’

NEW research conducted by Specsavers among parents with kids aged 4-16 in the North West, revealed that over one in 10 (16%) of children have never had an eye test, and a further one in five (18%) haven’t had one in two years or longer.

This is despite a quarter (25%) of parents saying their child had experienced problems at school which could be linked to vision. The most common issues raised with children from the area includes struggling to see the whiteboard (47%), having to move to the front of the classroom to see (26%) or experiencing headaches (47%).

Little progress has been seen in the last 15 years as research carried out by Specsavers in 2009, showed just under a quarter (23%) of children aged between 3-12 had never had an eye test.1

The latest survey found the only reason parents from the North West haven’t taken their child for an eye test is because they just haven’t got round to it (100%).

Specsavers clinical services director Giles Edmonds said: ‘A lot of parents assume that because their child doesn't display any signs of a vision problem, there's no need to have their eyes tested.

‘However, this couldn't be further from the truth. Ensuring your child has regular eye examinations from an early age is incredibly important for several reasons. Given more than 80 per cent of our learning, cognitive and social abilities are facilitated through our sight, it's extremely important to your child's overall development.

‘Poor eyesight can cause learning and behavioural problems. Conditions such as squinting and amblyopia (lazy eye) can be treated more effectively if they are picked up earlier, which could make a huge difference to your child. An eye test doesn’t just check vision. It can also detect other underlying health conditions.’

Children under the age of 16, as well as those under 19 in full- time education, are entitled to an NHS-funded eye test and free pair of glasses at any high street opticians. However over one in ten (12%) parents are not aware of this.

The research also found that during school holidays, parents have a back-to-school list of around 6 tasks, including everything from buying new school unforms (74%), shoe fittings (58%) and stationary shopping (49%). However, eye tests rank near the bottom of the pile (18%), alongside dental checks (19%) with both only prioritised by a fifth of parents.

Giles adds: “We understand how many things parents have to think about, especially during the summer holidays and before the new school year starts. By showing up with our eye screen van, we hope we’ve put eye tests on parents' radars as they play a significant role in setting children up for a happy and fulfilling school life.”

The research also found children are reluctant to get their eyes tested. Nearly half (43%) are scared or worried, over a third (36%) think it will hurt and one in five (21%) don’t know what to expect or fear the dark.

To combat this, Specsavers is looking at ways to make a visit to the opticians more fun with the launch of its friendly ‘Optomonsters’. Customers will start to notice the Optomonsters popping up in stores nationwide soon.