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Transitions has launched an optical education programme which will target 150,000 primary age children through presentations by a thousand optical professionals.

Eye Know Eye Care is a major educational programme of lesson plans, activity sheets and competition leaflets which will bring eye health into lessons and in front of parents.

Take-up has been brisk, with 100 DOs signing up to the scheme in the first 24 hours and a total of 200 achieved shortly after.

Business director for northern Europe Roland Allen said: 'This is a considerable investment for Transitions and is a key element of our strategy to promote healthy sight to school age children and their parents.'

Research shows that only 38 per cent of children go to the optometrist every two years, whereas 92 per cent would have gone to the dentist in the same time period There are no nationwide schemes to assess the vision of key stage 2 children or pass on messages about healthy sight.

Allen said the programme would help change attitudes towards visiting the optician and open people's eyes to the possibility of different lens options.

Transitions is hoping to attract 1,000 optical professionals to the scheme and will provide them with presentation materials to go into schools and speak at assemblies. That will provide the ideal platform for them to demystify the eye exam and visual problems.

ABDO president Barry Duncan said: 'This initiative from Transitions is a great chance for DOs to be in the driving seat promoting the correction of children's vision in practice.'

The National Schools Partnership, which is also backing the scheme, said there were few good resources for teachers to talk about vision and eye health.

Bob Hughes, AOP chief executive, said: 'The AOP is delighted to work with Transitions Optical to tackle the problem head on.'

DOs and optometrists wishing to register with the scheme should contact the ABDO membership department on 01227 733922 or at membership@abdo.org.uk

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