The University of Leeds and the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have launched the Glasses for Classes programme aimed at four- and five-year olds.
The programme includes eye testing in 100 UK schools and will ensure children receive glasses if they need them. The trial, set up by the Education Endowment Foundation, will share the results of children’s eye tests with parents and school staff.
Professor Mark Mon-Williams, lead academic from the University of Leeds, said: ‘Poor eyesight in young children can be enormously difficult for parents or teachers to detect, and even where it’s obvious, there is currently no mechanism to ensure vision screening results are ever acted upon. We believe this project shows great promise and could help the large number of children with visual problems across the country to have a more positive educational experience, and ensure they have the good start in life that every child deserves.’