Specsavers Newry educate thousands of schoolchildren on importance of eye care | Newry News

Specsavers Newry visited seven schools in the Newry and Mourne area before the end of the summer term to educate over 1,200 schoolchildren.

The team at the Buttercrane Shopping Centre store, which is owned locally by five store partners, is also encouraging parents to remember to get their children’s eyes tested before the beginning of the new school term in September.

Optical director William Stevenson was joined by optical assistants Christopher Small and Fionn O’Hanlon while visiting pupils in Primary 1 to Primary 7 at Ballyholland Primary School, St. Joseph’s Primary School, Bunscoil An Iúir, Mullaglass Primary School and St. Clare’s Abbey Primary School in Newry, and Dromore Road Primary School and Carrick Primary School in Warrenpoint during the summer term.

During the sessions, the children learned how their eyes work, how we perceive colour, why some children might need glasses and what happens during a routine eye test.

The pupils also got to test the equipment and look into each other’s eyes.

Will Stevenson comments, “Being able to help children understand their eyes and how we can keep their eyesight as healthy as possible is so important.

“During our talks with the different school classes, we also discussed the importance of outside play and limiting screen time to decrease their risks of developing myopia – short-sightedness.

“The children were all so keen to learn and get involved with our engaging presentations.”

Recent research conducted by Specsavers amongst parents with children aged 4-16 revealed that 42% of parents in Northern Ireland could have between 10 to 13 back-to-school tasks to complete for their child, with just 10% stating “getting my child’s eyes tested” is on their task list, and just 4% saying an eye test is most important.

The results of the survey that was completed by 1,000 parents in July 2024, 76% of parents in Northern Ireland did state their child had had an eye test in their lives, but just 9% said it was within the past year.

An alarming 62% of those surveyed have not had their child’s eyes tested within between three and five years.

Will continues, “Taking your child for an eye test should be as common as taking them to the dentist.

“80 per cent of what is taught in schools is visual, and for children to grow and develop, their sight needs to be properly looked after.

“So as the summer holidays come to an end and the to-do lists get written, we encourage parents to include an eye test in their back-to-school activities.

“Eye tests are free for children under 16 years old who hold a Health & Care Number, the Northern Ireland equivalent of an NHS Number, and we offer a range of kids’ frames made to prescription, offering great value for families.”

To book an appointment at Specsavers Newry or to organise a school trip or in-class educational session from the team, call 028 3025 0011 or visit specsavers.co.uk/stores/newry.

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Posted by NewryTimes News on Aug 22 2024. Filed under Business, Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry