Page 63 - South Issue 12
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Opticians advise
‘eight’s too late’
for eye tests
EYE specialists at Specsavers in Wantage
are reminding parents of the importance
of regular eye tests for their children.
The store in Grove Street is supporting
Specsavers’ ‘eight’s too late’ campaign,
which highlights how children’s eyes
continue developing until the age of
eight and that many common eye
conditions are more easily resolvable if
detected before that age.
An independent report commissioned by Specsavers
in 2013 revealed that a quarter of parents surveyed
with a child aged three to 12 are yet to have had their
child’s vision tested.
Store director Anchal Rana says: ‘I would highly
recommend all children have an eye test before
the age of seven. Our professional and friendly
optometrists carry out a number of visual tests in
a friendly environment and ensure that we make
children feel at ease.
‘You’d be surprised how many tests we can carry out
on young children - we can check for range of issues
including short or long sightedness and colour vision
defects. We can even let you know if your child’s
vision is developing as it should be for their age group.
They do not have to be able to read as we have a
number of other techniques using colours and shapes
to test sight. The NHS offers free annual checks for all
under 16’s so there’s really no reason not to book in.’
Regular eye examinations are vital, as undetected
vision problems affect a child’s learning and can often
be mistaken for learning difficulties in young children.
Around 80% of everything a child learns is through
their vision, so even a minor problem with a child’s
sight can mean they suffer huge setbacks in their
development at school.
A child’s eyesight will continue to develop right up to
the age of eight years old, which means that eyecare
issues can be corrected by the optician. Amblyopia or
lazy eye is a common condition and realistically needs
to be picked up by the age of five to be treated. The
earlier many common childhood vision problems are
discovered the better the chance of correcting them.
An eye examination takes just 20 minutes – parents
can expect a professional, friendly and fun service
that could make a huge difference to your child’s life.
The children’s range of glasses includes the popular
Gruffalo frames which feature favourite characters
from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s beloved
children’s picture books, including the Witch and Cat,
Dragon and the Gruffalo’s Child. The selection of six
styles for boys and girls are priced at £64 or are free
with an NHS voucher.
They are also included in the Kids Two Free Pairs
promotion which enables children up to the age of 16
qualify for one pair of specs free from the NHS and a
second pair from Specsavers free of charge, including
prescription sunglasses.
The store is open Monday – Friday between 9am and
5.30pm and 9am – 5pm on Saturdays.
To make an appointment please visit Specsavers at 1a
Grove Street, Wantage, call 01235 773980 or log on to
