Current screening for children 'unworkable'

National Screening Committee chiefs will write to all directors of primary care trusts reminding them of the importance of local visual screening for children, with a view to safeguarding eye health and educational development.

The announcement was made by Dr David Elliman of the UK National Screening Committee (UNSC) at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment's meeting to consider children's vision screening on October 22.

MPs at the event also heard from Professor David Thomson of City University, who told Optician: 'There are real opportunities for optometrists to get involved with screening since there aren't enough orthoptists to do the tests.'