Life on the Costa del Sol

Opticians concerned that kids aren’t getting their eyes tested

In a survey conducted by Specsavers Opticas in Fuengirola to establish whether parents were taking their children to have their eyes tested, opticians were alarmed at the low incidence of those that were.

Opticians recommend a yearly eye test for children from three years old, yet the survey revealed that in Fuengirola only 42% of respondents with children between 6 and 12 years old had taken their children to have an eye test with an optician. This fact is even more surprising as 92% of the respondents felt that poor eye sight could affect their children’s performance at school.

Store Director of Specsavers Opticas in Fuengirola Amrik Sappal explains why eye tests are so important “Throughout our children’s early life parents should make sure that their eyes are healthy and that their vision is being corrected if required so they can thrive at school and lead a full life. Regular eye tests can detect problems with your vision and catch treatable conditions early, to protect your eyes and safeguard your vision. This is particularly important with children, as during the first 12 years of their lives, as much as 80% of learning is accomplished through vision, yet one out of every four children has an undetected vision problem that may inhibit their progress. This shows the crucial role that eye tests play in caring for our children’s health and why you should make sure their eyes are tested by a qualified optician every year.”