Optician news in brief

A private eye hospital in London has launched a new laser therapy procedure, ‘retinal rejuvenation,’ which it says could save the sight of millions of diabetes sufferers. The London Eye Hospital has used the Ellex 2RT laser (Optician 23.11.12) to combat diabetic retinopathy in its early stages before patients notice a difference in their vision, something which the hospital said conventional laser treatments could not manage.

Fresh research from new charity Saving Essex Eyes has found that fewer than half of all children in the county had an eye test during 2012. ‘Given that in 2012 there were about 185,000 children registered in Essex schools that means there could be up to 48,000 children in schools across the county struggling with their vision,’ said the charity’s co-founder and optometrist Niall Dorgan. The charity has launched a school poster design competition for the start of the autumn term to increase awareness of sight tests.