Eye Week campaign highlights paediatrics

An anguished mother whose two-year-old is now partially blind advised other parents to take advantage of free NHS eye examinations for children on national television this week.
The breakfast time feature included two-year-old Max Butterworth who played his part in launching National Eye Week on Monday (September 23).
Max, who has suffered with CoatsÕ disease and is blind in one eye, appeared with his mother Cathy, and London-based optometrist Rosie Gavzey on a GMTV item aimed to publicise the message from the Eyecare Trust Ð which organises National Eye Week Ð that parents should take their children for regular eye examinations no matter how young they are.
The infant was diagnosed earlier this year with an aggressive form of CoatsÕ disease which affects one in 40,000 people annually. The disease causes blood vessels in the retina to develop leaks, and in severe cases, such as MaxÕs, the retina can become detached and loss of vision follows.
MaxÕs mother told the programme Ð which regularly has five million viewers Ð that although MaxÕs condition was so aggressive Ôit probably wouldnÕt have made any differenceÕ, parents can guard their children against a host of other conditions simply by making an appointment with an optometrist.
Ms Gavzey, an Eyecare Trust trustee, said: ÔMost parents donÕt realise that their childrenÕs eyes are fully developed by the time they are about eight years old.
ÔVision screening checks are often carried out by doctors, health visitors or at school, but these are not as comprehensive as a full eye examination by a qualified optometrist.Õ
u Eye Week poster campaign Ð see page 6.