Bedford opticians unveil new eyecare service just for children

An independent opticians in Bedford has unveiled a new eyecare service to help manage short-sightedness in children.

Donne and Browning Opticians has invested in specialised training to help slow down the progression of myopia in children.

Myopia, also known as short-sightedness, affects one in five teenagers across the country – double the number it was 50 years ago – and is usually corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

And although glasses or contact lenses can correct vision, they don’t help slow the progression of short-sightedness.

But that's all now changed with new contact lenses and glasses that research shows can help slow its progression.

Saira Hafeez, director at Donne and Browning, said: “As optometrists at an independent practice, we are dedicated to making our community aware of the condition and offer myopic management for our young patients. With advancing technology in the optical world, we are able to do this with both specialised contact lenses and spectacles.

“Contact lenses offer a larger field of view and convenience especially for sports, dance and many outdoor pursuits – it can also improve a child’s confidence.

"However, we do understand some of our younger patients may feel a little apprehensive about contact lenses and for them we have options of specialised spectacle lenses.”

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Myopia is commonly caused by the growing in length of the eyeball which can eventually lead to significant visual impairment and even blindness through conditions such as retinal detachment, glaucoma and myopic maculopathy.