Eighteen children from Ewarton Primary School in St Catherine were earlier this month treated to full medical eye evaluation and refractive/optical evaluations through Viewpoint Ophthalmology and Dermatology.

The effort was coordinated through Deanall Barnes, chairman of Ewarton Primary School; and staff of the school who identified students whose vision appeared to be of concern.

Of the 18 students, nine were identified as needing corrective eyewear with two others requiring referral for further evaluation and care.

The event was deemed a success by all involved and provided encouragement for the staging of similar future events. Plans are currently being made for the same to be done at the Viewpoint May Pen location in Clarendon.

The decision was made to cater the outreach initiatives first towards students, based on the number of primary-level students presenting with complaints at the point of their final exit examinations.

Very often, these issues could have been addressed earlier with a better prognosis/outcome.

The Viewpoint Ophthalmology team said it hoped that these events will bring this fact into focus, and result in more emphasis being placed on early screening for visual problems in children.