ABU DHABI // With one in eight schoolchildren suffering from vision problems, Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai has extended its school screening programme to Abu Dhabi.
More than 140 children were screened at the British School in Al Khubairat yesterday and on Monday.
About 10 per cent of pupils have vision problems, include short sightedness, astigmatism, cataracts, colour blindness, and lazy eye, among others. While many of these conditions are easily treated, if left undiagnosed they can affect children’s education and can lead to permanent complications.
“We know that vision-related problems can deeply affect a child’s performance at school, so regular screening, and early detection and treatment, is very important,” said the principal, Paul Coakley.
The School Vision Screening programme, aimed at five to seven-year-olds, began in Dubai last year. More than 500 children have been screened, 12 per cent of whom had conditions that required follow-up examinations.
“In most cases the referrals for an examination are for minor refractive errors that can easily be corrected with glasses, but there are other cases that need further investigation,” said Keith Wilken, the senior orthoptist who runs the programme.
Alison McMeans
Page last updated 01 January 2020