PUPILS found out about the importance of clear vision and the Myopia epidemic.
The Eye Collective group of optical practices headed to Kingswood School to challenge pupils to take on the Eyestar Mission, which is a new classroom based programme for children aged six to 10.
In the programme, the children will follow characters and earn badges for reaching different milestones along the way.
The condition Myopia – also known as shortsightedness – is a common eye issue that causes objects a far distance away to appear blurry but objects which are up close are clear, however, its increasing rate among children has alarmed opticians.
It is especially important as 80 per cent of learning happens through vision and having clear sight is essential for children in education, but, according to a survey, 94 per cent of parents wrongly believe glasses will solve the problem.
Dispensing opticians and group manager at The Eye Collective, Karen Rich, said: “Myopia is where a patient can see close up objects but struggles to see objects far away clearly, for a child it could be the whiteboard at school.
“This typically develops in children of school age and the a child younger becomes myopic, the more likely they will develop higher levels of myopia.
“Getting outside for at least two hours a day and reducing screen time can be beneficial. It’s important for children to have a regular eye examination and under 16’s are entitled to free NHS funding eye examinations.”
The Eyestar Mission, created by Essilor, to help children understand myopia and take ownership of their eye health by combining short clips, key learning and activities for a memorable experience.
A teacher at Kingswood School, Mrs Kenyon, said: “Our children really enjoyed learning about the eye and how to take care of their eyes.
“It was very informative, thanks to the Eye Collective.”
