NURSERY children visited Specsavers Harrow Weald to find out more about caring for their eyes.
Co-founder of Little Darlings Nursery, Sanjay Morzaria had contacted the store during August to discuss the possibility of tying in the visit with National Eye Health Week – an annual awareness raising event, this year being celebrated during 18th – 24th September, with the theme Your Vision Matters.
Indeed 2016 research1 reveals that around 1.6 million school-age children across the UK have an eye condition that remains undiagnosed. This can affect their performance at school and ability to learn effectively, in turn potentially resulting in a lack of self-confidence.
Children’s eyesight continues to develop until around eight years old, which is why Specsavers encourages parents to take their child for a sight test before they start school. Problems such as squints or lazy eye (amblyopia) can be treated more effectively the earlier they are picked up, which can make a huge difference to a child and their education.
During the weeks leading up to the Specsavers store visit, the Little Darlings pre-school children had been learning about parts of the body, including their eyes. So having a store tour, meeting the team, chatting to an optometrist and asking them lots of questions was a great opportunity to find out more from the experts. The youngsters also enjoyed sitting in the testing chair and find out first-hand what it was like to have their eyes tested.
Commenting on the visit, Sanjay says: ‘I was really delighted that Specsavers were able to accommodate our nursery school children. The team spent time informing them about the eye, its structure, how it works, plus explained the various diagnostic tests. The activity sheets they were given were great fun, they loved filling them out and they learned lots.
I wanted to create a wonderful memory from the visit, and also show the children that having an eye test can be fun. At the nursery we like to focus on experiential learning, so this was a great opportunity for everyone involved!
Plus, we were delighted to receive a donation of high viz jackets – perfect for the children as we travelled on the bus for the nursery outing.’
A customer of Harrow Weald, Sanjay revealed that his optometrist, Shivani Ghedia, takes her son to the nursery three days a week. As Sanjay says: ‘This link made the visit even more special.’
Store Manager Adil Ladha, who had been involved in organising the visit, says: ‘It was great to have such enthusiastic youngsters in store. The children were delightful, very inquisitive and asked some great questions of the team. They left with their goody bags containing mementos from their visit. We look forward to welcoming them back with their parents in the future.’
Specsavers Harrow Weald director optometrist Tejal Sheth says: ‘Monitoring our sight, caring for it and ensuring our children’s eyesight is checked regularly is really important. Sometimes those children who have eyesight issues, whether that is short sightedness or astigmatism, can display learning and behavioural issues in class –which might be blamed on other things. And younger children might not be able to explain any problems they are having.’
‘That’s why we recommend that all children have an eye test before they start school. Our optometrists have lots of fun ways to engage children so they can assess their eyesight.’
Specsavers eye tests are designed to be friendly and fun, and for children who are not yet reading, there are special charts, shapes and picture books that the optician can use instead. It’s recommended that adults have a sight test at least every two years, children should visit every year.
The NHS will cover the full cost of a sight test for anyone who qualifies. All children under 16, as well as those under 19 in full-time education, are entitled to an NHS funded eye test every two years, or sooner if recommended by an optometrist, and a voucher towards the cost of glasses.
Good eyesight is vital for children, with regular check-ups being the best way to spot any problems and treat them before they have an impact on the child’s education.
Specsavers Harrow Weald in the High Street offer a wide range of children’s glasses (including frames and lenses) for the value of the NHS voucher, and a number of designer frames, including Liberty London, Hype, Disney, Marvel and more.
For more information or to book an appointment at Specsavers Harrow Weald call them on 020 8427 5199. Alternatively, you can book your appointment online or visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/harrowweald
