Pupils can see clearly now
A charity is making sure children with undiagnosed eye conditions can now see the teacher from the back of the classroom.
Essilor Vision Foundation works with optometrists to provide free eye health screening to primary school pupils at lowdecile schools and remove a barrier to learning for children who can’t see properly without glasses.
The scheme came to Takaro School in Palmerston North yesterday to screen about 400 children from 11 Manawatu¯ schools.
Labour MP Louisa Wall is the group’s patron and was at Takaro School.
‘‘Our mission is to find the kids who need glasses and give [glasses] to them for free.’’
Children who need glasses are given one pair for home and one for school by Essilor.
Wall said the foundation wanted to find children who had problems with their eyesight as early as possible, so the pupils’ learning wouldn’t be affected.
The children who need glasses are given them as a group, so one person doesn’t stick out and get bullied because of having to wear them.
The screening is done at lowerdecile schools because pupils with vision problems were less likely to be picked up there, Wall said. ‘‘Eighty per cent of learning is done through the eyes ... If you can’t see you can’t learn.’’
The programme has run for four years, but this is the second year it has come to Manawatu¯ schools.
About 6500 children have been screened across New Zealand. Visique Eye Spy Optometrists director Maile Tarsau said 20 to 30 per cent of the children screened needed glasses.