Hats off to the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) and the Optical Suppliers Association (OSA) for the decision to partner with Mumsnet to research parents’ awareness of children’s eye health.
While the data highlighted knowledge gaps and attitudes towards costs that they probably already knew existed, the numbers lay bare the full extent of problems. It’s now time to fix them, by targeting the right people.
Everyone knows optometrists and dispensing opticians are in the best position to educate, but the research shows many parents aren’t walking through their doors with their children, either for eye exams or when there’s an emergency.
Addressing the knowledge gap is probably going to need a different approach. Working with Mumsnet will obviously help raise awareness of certain heath issues and interventions for myopia management, but education is needed at an earlier stage.
Could public health messaging around a baby’s eye health be more robust in pre- and post-natal care? Could midwives have more clear and consistent messaging around spotting potential visual issues at an early age, or when a child should have its first eye test?
Midwives don’t need to be eye experts, but they do need to signpost correctly, because the data points to a clear over-reliance on school vision screen screening among parents.
The thorny issue of cost was also raised in the research. I’ve been scalded before by readers for the belief that myopia management interventions are too expensive and beyond the means of most parents, but it hasn’t changed my mind.
In the research, parents cited sacrifices they were making to fund interventions for myopia and many believed treatment for myopia should be funded by the NHS alongside tooth decay. That’s not realistic on several levels, but it does highlight current parent attitudes towards the cost of eye care.
Changing attitudes, awareness and cost now will be more effective and cheaper in the long run.
