From today, every New Zealander under 16-years-old will be able to have their eyes regularly tested for free at any Specsavers store throughout the country.

The free eye exams are part of a permanent offer reaching a potential 930,000 New Zealanders, according to 2013 Census data.

Photo: file.

"We're really excited about our Kids Go Free offer and the opportunity to help improve the eye health of young Kiwis. Early access to eyecare means early intervention and better health outcomes," says Specsavers NZ retail director Brendan Thompson.

The company ran the offer during January this year and saw the number of children coming in for eye exams rise significantly, indicating that the cost is a barrier to many Kiwi parents.

"In addition to offering free eye tests to all 900,000-plus AA members, it's wonderful to be able to provide free eye exams for all Kiwi kids, especially for those whose families may not have been able to afford the $60 eye exam fee," adds Mr Thompson.

Head of School of Optometry and Vision Science at The University of Auckland, Professor Steven Dakin says although children in NZ currently have good access to vision testing, through early-screening and means-tested subsidies for eye tests, their own work indicates that a substantial proportion of schoolchildren would benefit from a trip to the optometrist for a comprehensive vision examination.

"The School of Optometry and Vision Science therefore commends this initiative from Specsavers which we believe will result in more children from all backgrounds getting the eye care they require to achieve their potential," Professor Dakin says.

The majority of NZ children are screened for amblyopia (‘lazy-eye') at age four through the B4 School Check, but the screening does not comprehensively test for all vision problems. Children then will not have their vision checked again until they are in Year Seven (about age 11) where they are screened by Vision Hearing Technicians.

"In addition to the Ministry of Health's screening programme, it's important for parents to keep an eye on their child's vision and to book them in for an eye exam if they have any doubt at all. It's especially important before they are eight years old as it can be much harder to correct any problems after that," says Mr Thompson.

"Some tell-tale signs a child may have vision problems include if they have learning or reading difficulties, are clumsier than usual for their age, screw up their eyes or tilt their head to see, or have frequent headaches. Irrespectively, Specsavers optometrists recommend everyone over the age of three is tested every two years," he says.

Kids Go Free ambassador and mother-of-two Carly Flynn says eye exams often slip down the to-do list for busy mums like her, and for many families, the $60 per person cost isn't an option. "Luckily neither of my children required any correction after getting their eyes tested, but as I have a family history of poor eyesight, I'll be keeping a close eye on them - and the free eye exams make this manageable.

"When I was growing up I had one pair of horrendous red bottle-top-thick-lens glasses which cost my parents a fortune, and understandably I hated them. It's great to know now that Kiwi kids can get their eyes tested as often as required and, should they need glasses, they can choose from a huge range of fun designer specs," adds Flynn.

New Zealand Automobile Association Chief Executive Brian Gibbons applauds this initiative. "This is great news for New Zealand and for this group of Kiwis who are not covered by the Specsavers and AA partnership. Kids Go Free is a fantastic extension of the AA Member benefit which has seen hundreds of thousands of AA members receive free Specsavers eye exams over the past three years," he says.

Parents can request an appointment for their child at any of the 51 Specsavers stores by going to www.specsavers.co.nz or phoning their local store.

"We're expecting this offer to be very popular so we recommend parents book in advance," concludes Mr Thomspon.