11,000 children take sight test

Mar 11 2013

More than 11,000 children have had their eyes screened in a programme to prevent future sight loss.

Pre-schoolers in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area are being tested to check for problems such as Amblyopia or "lazy eye".

The condition is caused either by a squint or differences in the focusing power of each eye and if left untreated can lead to vision problems.

Following the screening 2,733 children between the ages of four and five needed extra tests to identify if they had treatable conditions.

Emilia Crighton, from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: "Our aim is to detect vision problems in childhood as there is good evidence that an effective screening programme and prompt treatment result in a lower incidence of significant vision loss in later life.

"Uptake of this very important test is good with some 77.5% of parents taking up the screening offer for their child, however there is still room for improvement."

The screening involves a simple test where children are asked to match a line of letters or pictures to a key card or describe a line of pictures.

It mostly takes place in nursery schools but is also available at local clinics.

Health Secretary Alex Neil said: "Every child in Scotland deserves the best possible start in life and this screening is very important to pick up and treat any visual problems before children start primary school."