Campaign Encouraging Scottish Parents To Look After Children's Eye Health

It’s estimated that up to a million children in the UK currently have an undetected vision problem, yet 1 in 4 parents in Scotland admit they’ve never taken their child for an eye check.

Experts say up to 80% of what a child learns is through their sight so making sure their eyes are healthy can have a huge impact on their development.

To encourage parents to think about their kid’s eye health, children aged 5-10 have been asked about their eyes.

An eye check is not just about sight – it also looks at the overall health of their eye to identify any problems early so you can prevent them developing further.

2000 children aged 5-10 have been surveyed to mark National Eye Health Week.

The findings in Scotland also revealed:

·         1 in 5 children in Scotland wear glasses.

·         Kids wish their eyes had superpowers - 70% wish they could see through walls.

·         15% think that the black bit in the middle of their eye is a small camera.

·         70% of children believe that when they go to sleep their eyes go to sleep too.

·         1 in 5 think that they have eyelashes to keep insects out of their eyes.

Russell Peake, Eye Health Condition Manager, shares his top tips for kid’s eye health:

·         After being way from the classroom for the summer holidays, signs such as your child rubbing their eye, blinking excessively or clumsiness may indicate a sight issue

·         Kids won’t always articulate they are struggling to see and will often adapt their behaviour. Keep an eye out for signs such as sitting closer to the television, holding their book closer or squinting at text in the distance

·         It’s a myth that children need to be able to read to have any eye check. Children should have their eyes checked at least every 2 years from the age of three - but you can take them sooner if you think there may be an issue

·         If your child is in front of a screen for prolonged periods of time – such as a computer or ipad – use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes get them to look 20 feet away (six metres) for 20 seconds to help give their eye muscles a break

·         Depending on where you live in the UK your child may have their eyesight checked via a local vision screening programme, but it’s rare for schools to offer regular eye checks so you will need to take your child to an opticians. Eye checks are free on the NHS until a child is 16 years old. If your child needs glasses, you can also get an NHS voucher towards the cost, so often they are free of charge

·         An eye health check can tell you more about your child’s eyes than just their sight. An eye check can detect brain tumours, some cancers and diabetes.