Last updated at 10:33, Monday, 31 October 2011

A TYNEDALE optometrist has joined a national campaign to raise awareness of the importance of children’s eye health.

Croft & Graves, in Corbridge, is backing the initiative from the Association of Optometrists (AOP) to highlight the issue among parents, teachers and health professionals.

The campaign highlights the importance of children’s vision and advises that every child gets a regular eye examination at a young age.

Statistics show that up to a million children in the UK returned to school this year with an undiagnosed vision problem.

Poor eyesight can have a significant effect on children’s ability to learn and on their behaviour – yet it often goes unrecognised by teachers, parents and the children themselves as children may have no idea that their sight is impaired or be able to explain their vision difficulties.

A study by Aston University found that one in 20 six and seven-year-olds year olds and one in 10 12 to 13-year-olds require glasses but do not have them.

At local level, the campaign which aims to encourage parents to incorporate a regular eye examination in their child’s healthcare routine has the full backing of optometrist, Nick Croft, of Croft and Graves.

He said: “There seems to be a lack of understanding about eyesight and eye health. I would urge parents to remember that taking their children to see an optometrist or optician is just as important as the trip to the dentist.

“This should ideally happen around the age of three, or even before if the parent has concerns, as problems detected this young can be corrected more easily. It is worth mentioning that toddlers and young children do not need to be able to read, as an eye examination can be carried out using pictures and a variety of other child-friendly tests.”

The sooner that vision problems are detected, the better the outcome. Many childhood eye conditions, such as lazy eye and squint, can be treated if they are picked up early – as the eye and visual system are actively developing during the school years.

If vision problems are identified and treated, it can make a difference that lasts a lifetime.

Sight tests are free for all children under the age of 16, paid for by the NHS. Optometrists in the community are qualified to examine the eyes of all children. Help towards the cost of glasses, should a child need them, is also available on the NHS for all children.

Nick Croft added: “Part of our ethos within our practice is to raise the awareness of eye health in our local community and the wider Tynedale area by providing information and education on eye health.

“As a practice, we have written to local schools in Tynedale inviting them to raise the awareness to parents, teachers and students and have offered our support in a number of ways, from delivering talks to students, parents and teachers and inviting classes to visit the practice as part of their school learning experience.”

For more information about the children’s eye health campaign, please contact Croft and Graves Optometrists, Woodburn House, Hill Street, Corbridge, Tel. (01434) 632289.

For more information on the national eye health campaign visit www.aop.org.uk/childrenseyehealth

First published at 09:09, Monday, 31 October 2011
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk