Mumsnet helps promote children’s vision

Research findings to be shared at 100% Optical

ABDO, the College of Optometrists and the Optical Suppliers Association (OSA) have engaged Mumsnet – the high-profile UK parenting platform – to help promote awareness of children’s vision.

The biggest UK network for parents, Mumsnet attracts some nine million unique users each month. Through this collaboration, the three optical sector organisations are building on a number of projects to further consumer-facing engagement.

These include a College of Optometrists’ research project revealing a lack of awareness about the age and frequency of sight tests for children – despite nearly half of the parent respondents requiring vision correction themselves.

ABDO’s Professional Certificate in Paediatric Eyecare, launched last year, has already registered high levels of interest – seen as an indicator of the desire amongst clinicians to make a significant difference to the next generation’s vision and ocular health outcomes.

In a joint statement, the optical organisations said: “As a profession and industry, we know the challenges, and the rise in myopia, and yet we have never been better equipped to address the problems of children’s deteriorating vision. We need to drive awareness.”

Mumsnet researchers have data-mined their site of nearly 8,000 conversations on the platform during the past five years for every aspect of children’s vision – including sight tests, confusion over the titles of the profession, and a limited number of posts about sunglasses for children, prescription sports eyewear and swimming goggles.

This has reportedly highlighted confusion about the age a child should first have their eyes examined, and whether a child needed to be able to read in order to do so. Mixed messaging about squints and lazy eye, and concerns about over-prescribing, were also discovered.

The findings of the 1,000-strong survey are currently being analysed by Mumsnet researchers, and will be released soon. Some of these will provide discussion points at 100% Optical during a dedicated Q&A session with Mumsnet researchers.

This session will take place on the OSA stand on Monday 3 March at 1pm.

“Millions of parents regularly use Mumsnet to seek advice or share their worries about their children’s health and wellbeing,” commented Rhiannon Evans, head of communications and public affairs at Mumsnet. “As well as providing a place for them to have those conversations, we use the unique perspective this gives us into the views and concerns of parents to inform our campaigning work and help us to fulfil our mission to make parents’ lives easier.

“We’re pleased to be working with ABDO, the College of Optometrists and the OSA and using our unique insight to help to make a significant difference to the next generation’s vision and ocular health outcomes.”