Opticians sponsor YMCA evening to promote social wellbeing

The midweek get-together at the Café in the Park was enjoyed by 22 children. It included an evening of mini-golf and a burger station, which was sponsored by the team at Specsavers Ripon.

Before the activities took place, optometrists at the store were invited to raise awareness about children's eye health and discuss the importance of regular eye checks – which children can receive for free on the NHS up to the age of 16.

They engaged with the kids to get them talking about their eye care, highlighting how vital it is to maintain good vision –especially during their school years. Without the proper care, they might struggle to enjoy their lessons, which could affect their confidence in the classroom.

Recent research by Specsavers revealed that the most commonly reported eye issues experienced by children in Yorkshire are – struggling to see the whiteboard (42%), having to move to the front of the classroom to see (42%), difficulty reading schoolbooks (17%), and experiencing headaches (17%).

Despite these signs, 25% of parents said they haven’t taken their child for an eye test because they haven’t noticed any visible problems, and half (50%) said their child hasn’t mentioned any issues.

Annette Duffy, retail director at Specsavers Ripon, said: ‘We’re grateful to the children and the YMCA team for making our optometrists feel so welcome! Our optometrists had an incredible time at the Spa Gardens, supporting and advising the young people about the importance of eye care.

‘As the research shows, half of children across Yorkshire don't flag eye issues to their parents, so being able to create safe spaces like these helps raise awareness and encourages open conversations. Hopefully, since this event, some of the kids feel more comfortable discussing any eye-related concerns, and we’ll see them again soon.’

For more details on the full range of eye health and hearing care services available at Specsavers Ripon, including OCT scans, head to https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/ripon or call on 01765 694 777