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There is a push across the UK to incite parents of school aged children to take note of the health of their eyes as they start a new year of schooling.
Worrying research by a national opticians campaign has discovered that almost two thirds of children get taken more regularly to their dentist than their Optician.
A full on media coverage was started to urge parents to accept that eye examinations are as important as other check list features of returning to study to assist and enhance their experience in the classroom.
The support group aroused concerns from medical health practitioners and school teachers that many children will go through with undetected sight problems and hence have knock on effects on their learning potential as well as the long-term vision risks. Previous studies estimate around a million children in the UK could remain at risk. Further figures from the study showed that up to a third of parents have failed to have their children's eyes tested in the past twelve months and that one in eight see little need for regular examinations. The study also showed that one in eight parents do not see the need for their children’s eyes to be tested regularly. General guideline's for health state that children from aged four should receive regular eye tests in addition to dental check ups. A spokesman said that with more importance being placed on the health of teeth rather than their eyes, it is imperative that the significance of eye sight is not omitted.
The back to school campaign encourages parents to book their child's eye examination with an independent optician before the start of term and keep watchful for developing signs of sight problems in children, such as excessive blinking, sitting close to the television and monitors, eye rubbing , plus holding objects close to their faces and one eye seemingly turning out.