School Vision Screening programme in Dubai sheds new light on the state of children’s eye health 12 per cent of students screened require further examination

3 May 2009 (Dubai, UAE): *The Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai ‘School Vision Screening’ programme, which is offered to private schools in Dubai (and will shortly start in Abu Dhabi), has revealed that of the 505 pupils examined so far, 12 per cent ‘failed’ one or more of the tests administered and a further comprehensive eye examination was recommended bythe experts undertaking the screening. The programme focuses on pupils in years 1 and 2, aged 5-7 years. The School Vision Screening programme is continuing, following the initial phases of the programme which covered four schools in Dubai.

Moorfields points out that parents of children ‘failing’ a test should follow up quickly by arranging a full eye examination: “In the context of the School Vision Screening programme, ‘failed’ means that these students did not meet the minimum vision screening standards established by screening committees in the US and UK, which we apply at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai,” says Keith Wilken, Senior Orthoptist at the hospital, who leads the school programme. “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. The important point is that early detection and treatment is vital because children generally respond very well to treatment.”

Of the 60 pupils who ‘failed’ the tests, 53 per cent were girls and 47 per cent boys. “We cannot draw any really significant conclusions from gender differences at this point but as the programme is extended and the numbers grow, we will be able to examine them and get a clearer picture,” adds Keith Wilken.

For the screening programme, a team from Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai visits the school for one or two days to conduct a series of tests. Parents are invited to allow their children to be screened, following which a written report is sent by Moorfields to the parents (and a copy retained by the school nurse for their own records). Parents pay a nominal amount for the screening.

According to ophthalmologists, around one quarter of school-age children have some form of vision problem, such as short sightedness, astigmatism, cataracts, colour blindness, lazy eye or genetic diseases. Many of these problems begin well before school age and can go undetected, and so screening at an early age is an important part of the prevention,detection, diagnosis and treatment process.

Dr Chris Canning, Medical Director at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai says: "An important part of our role is to improve eye health and the school screening programme is a good start. Screening children is very important and around 1 in 8 school children will have some form of vision problem, which matches our experience in Dubai and almost all of these problems were previously undiagnosed. Vision screening is able to pick up many, but not all, eye problems – it is not a substitute for a full eye examination – and it complements and extends the testing work of the schools’ own medical teams. Where problems are found, we advise parents on the nature of the problem and will recommend a comprehensive examination in an eye centre."

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai started the School Vision Screening programme shortly after establishing the new hospital in Dubai – the first overseas branch of the world renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

In implementing the School Vision Screening programme, specialists from the hospital are working with schools to complement the work of the school nurses. The hospital also hopes to run a continuing education course focusing on vision screening techniques and eye trauma assessment and triage designed specifically for school nurses.

Issued on behalf of Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai by WPR.

Media contact:
Jonathan Walsh
WPR
Dubai
Tel: 050 4588610
Email: jon@wprme.com

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