With children back at school and devices such as tablets and laptops now common place in the classroom eye-care experts urge parents to make eye-testing a priority.

Around one in five children either don’t have regular eye tests or have never had one, according to a new study released today by Sight Care, a support network for independent opticians, which may well have a negative impact on a child’s ability to learn.

The study also shows that only a fifth of children have a simple eye test at school, which is why eye-care experts are urging parents to arrange for their children to be tested.

With 1 in 4 young children now using tablets at home, we can’t get away from the fact that computers form a large part of our children’s developmental learning. Close up digital use as well as traditional white and black boards, means that it’s even more important for children to have regular eye exams.

Previous studies estimate around 1 million children in the UK could be at risk of undetected vision problems.*

Eye exams can also show up various health issues so are a vital health check for children who wouldn’t necessarily show any adverse symptoms.

Eye tests for children are free and the Sight Care Group recommend parents seek out and support their local, independent optician.

Find out more by listening to our interview with Paul Surridge