Chris Bennett: Specsavers’ eye care boost for school kids

There’s no real alternative to systematic screening of children’s eyes to safeguard the vision of young people. Some in the profession probably won’t want to hear it, but Specsavers’ move this week to provide screening software to all schools will probably do more good for children’s vision than all the hot air expanded by the optical associations in the past five years.

It would be nice to think that the universal availability of free eye examinations in the high street and the pastoral care boasted about by school authorities would have created a win-win for kid’s eyes. Not so.

At school, kids should get screened and referred, through a note home, if an issue is raised. But they don’t. At home, parents should take little Johnny to the opticians when they deem it necessary. Not enough do.