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Boots Opticians focuses on children's eye problems

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Boots Opticians focuses on children's eye problems

Boots Opticians is helping to reach the estimated one million children in the UK who have an undiagnosed sight problem through its free schools vision screening programme, shows the company’s new research.

Of all the children who have been screened in the five months since the launch of the programme, a fifth have had a potential vision problem detected and have been referred for a full eye check at their local optician.

Boots Opticians developed the screening programme to raise eye health awareness and to enable more schoolchildren to have their vision checked easily and conveniently.

Research shows that over 90 per cent of children see a dentist regularly, but only 53 per cent of children have ever had an eye check. According to national screening guidelines, all children aged four and five should be offered a vision test; however a recent report by the College of Optometrists found that fewer than a third of local authorities are providing them.

Ben Fletcher, managing director of Boots Opticians said: “As much as 80 per cent of what a child learns is through their vision, so we want to help all children reach their full potential by making sure their eye sight is the best it can be.

“The results from this initiative show we are making this happen and we hope even more children will have their eye sight checked over the coming months as more schools sign up to the programme.”

The vision screening programme is a free online assessment system and accompanying toolkit that can be used by teachers, school nurses or administrators.

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