Previous findings reveal that uptake of children’s eye tests has remained low for the past 15 years. As a result, Specsavers has launched an Eye Screen Van in York to prompt parents to get their children’s eyes tested this summer.

On Friday August 16 SPECSAVERS launched its first ever ‘eye screen’ van in York to put children’s eye health and eye tests at the top of parents' agendas.

Popping up on York’s Parliament Street, the van was not only equipped with ice lollies, but also visual screeners, to help identify any potential eyesight problems in children and alert their parents if they required a more thorough eye test.

The activity comes as new research conducted by Specsavers among parents with kids aged 4-16 revealed that 1 in 6 (15%) children across Yorkshire of this age have never had an eye test, and less than a quarter (21%) haven’t had one in two years or longer.

Specsavers is encouraging parents to book an eye test for their children.

placeholder image — Specsavers is encouraging parents to book an eye test for their children.

This is despite almost 1 in 6 (14%) parents saying their child had experienced problems at school which could be linked to vision. The most common issues raised includes struggling to see the whiteboard (42%), having to move to the front of the classroom to see (42%), not being able to read their school books (17%), or experiencing headaches (17%).

Little progress has been made 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 most common reasons parents in Yorkshire haven’t taken their child for an eye test is because they have no visible problems (25%) or haven’t mentioned a problem (50%). Other reasons include parents not being advised that their child needs an eye test (13%).

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. With 15% of parents not aware of this, awareness of this has diminished over the past 15 years with 1 in 10 parents not being aware of this in 2009.

The research also found that during school holidays, parents have a back-to-school list of around five tasks, including everything from buying new school unforms (74%), shoe fittings (45%) and stationary shopping (46%). However, eye tests rank near the bottom of the pile (15%), alongside dental checks (23%), with both only prioritised by 2 in 5 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. With half of children (50%) across Yorkshire scared or worried, while 1 in 3 (30%) think it will hurt. A fifth (20%) say they don’t know what to expect and 1 in 3 (30%) don’t want to wear glasses.

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.

The Eye Screen Van in York follows the success on London’s South Bank and at The Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh earlier this month.

[1] Survey carried out by Mumsnet on behalf of Specsavers among 1044 UK respondents with at least one child aged 3-12 questioned. April 2013