{
  "abstract": "Background Children in the United Kingdom (UK), on average undergo their first eye examination at 6.5 years, significantly later than the National Health Service (NHS) recommendation, following the withdrawal of school-vision screening in many areas. Estimates suggest nearly two-thirds of school-age children never have a comprehensive eye examination, placing many at risk of undiagnosed ocular disorders or refractive error. Anecdotal reports from eyecare practitioners attribute this to limited parental knowledge, causing delayed and missed eye examinations in children. Therefore, this qualitative study investigates the current parental awareness and understanding of children’s eye health within the UK.Methods Five online focus groups (each with 5–7 participants) were conducted with UK-based parents of at least one child under the age of 18. Participants were recruited through an agency (First For Fieldwork) to ensure demographic and geographic diversity, to obtain a representative sample of the UK population. Participants were encouraged to discuss their knowledge of paediatric eyecare, the necessity of children’s eyecare services, and any perceived obstacles to service utilization, using a preprepared list of questions. All discussions were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.Results 30 parents (60% female) of children aged 0 to 17 years participated. 29 (97%) parents had undergone eye examinations, however, a quarter of parents reported never having taken their children for an eye test. Most parents sought eyecare advice only for children with noticeable ocular abnormalities or who exhibited symptoms, while their asymptomatic siblings were often not examined. A quarter of parents were not aware of free eye examinations available for children and NHS-subsidized spectacles. Additionally, some parents reported postponing their children’s eye examinations due to financial concerns, and the assumption that children could reliably self-report visual symptoms necessitating an examination. Nevertheless, there was consensus that school children should undergo eye examinations, but parents believed that younger children would be unable to be examined due to illiteracy. No parents were familiar with any public health organisations or campaigns promoting children’s eye health, although most supported implementing nationwide initiatives to raise awareness and incorporate vision screening into schooling.Conclusion Parental awareness of children’s eyecare and available services is limited. Parents mistakenly believe that children can reliably self-report vision problems necessitating eye examinations. To improve uptake and accessibility of children’s eyecare services, public health campaigns should be intensified to enhance parental knowledge of eyecare importance and NHS resourcing across the UK.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Cheralynn Saunders"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK",
        "Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Christopher J Davey"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Brendan T Barrett"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Leeds Sustainability Institute, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Fiona Fylan"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK",
        "Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Neema Ghorbani-Mojarrad"
    }
  ],
  "title": "OP42 Parents awareness and understanding of children’s eyecare needs and the availability of eye health services",
  "uid": "ccf732c5-3a3b-564c-a237-e792eeb389bc"
}