Parents put shoe sizes of kids before their eyecare

A STUDY of 2,000 parents across the UK found a quarter of children don’t get regular eye examinations, with one in 10 never having been to the opticians, which means they are missing out on expert care and identification of underlying vision problems.

Despite this, almost a third (29 per cent) of parents said they would be more likely to check their child’s shoe size than their sight. Yet 93 per cent go for regular check ups at the dentist.

It also emerged that 56 per cent of parents in the East Midlands have a school-aged child who has eyesight problems, with shortsightedness the most common (22 per cent).

Yet 19 per cent of respondents in the East Midlands didn’t know myopia (commonly known as short-sightedness) could lead to serious vision problems if left undiagnosed and untreated, while 78 per cent were unaware of what myopia was.

The study, commissioned by vision lens manufacturer HOYA Lens UK, also found 86 per cent of parents in the East Midlands think children should get their vision tested at least once a year, while two thirds (68 per cent) have been worried about their own child’s sight at some point.

Andrew Sanders, professional services director at HOYA Lens UK, said: “It is a shock to us that more children go for regular dental check-ups than eye examinations, and it is a real concern, especially as regular eye examinations can detect all sorts of other issues and early diagnosis of serious eye issues is vital.

“This includes eye conditions, such as myopia, which can worsen with time and have a detrimental impact on a child’s education when they can’t see what the teacher has written on the board or other material.”