Eye health slips down parental agenda

Parental concern about eye health is at its lowest since the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT) started its annual survey in 2014.

In the charity’s latest survey, 41% of parents of children aged nought to six years old said their child’s eye health was a concern, compared to 59% in 2019.

The number of parents who had taken their child to an optical practice for a sight test had fallen to 28%, from 37% in 2019.

Patrick Tonks, CEO at the CHECT, said: ‘Understandably, the health landscape of the past two years has been dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, as restrictions ease, it is vital parents are encouraged to resume routine eye checks for their children, and contact their optician or GP if they notice anything unusual in their child’s eyes.’