Radio One news today

[rsandr]

Did anyone else find themselves dispairing at the news Radio one were spewing today with regard to opticians issuing Rx's to children which were detrimental to their eyesight?
Their reckoning is that issuing less than the full Rx has caused eyesight to worsen, and my favourite part, 'increases the risk of eye infection'.
Why are they allowed to get away with this, the only reason for their bulletin as far as I can see it is to provoke a public frenzy.
Still on a plus point maybe retests of children will increase dramatically for which vouchers may be claimed.
Every cloud....
Rick

[John R]

Rick....Ongoing Here Though the deafning silence from the lack of replies does not bode well........
I would have thought that this sort of thing would have had many a dispenser jumping up and down like nothing...Unless of course they have been under-refracting.......
Just can just see all the lawers rubbing their little hands thinking money,money,money.....

[Tim Hunter]

I heard it on Radio 4 and I understand it was on BBC breakfast TV. No problem with the science, very useful to know that underprescribing is scientifically shown to be detrimental. I do have a problem with the implication that optometrists have been underprescribing as standard practice! it's simply not true in the UK.

If you check the websites, the Association of Optometrists and College of Optometrists have all issued sensible statements saying that the underprescribing of myopes is not and has not been standard practice in the UK. I wonder where it is?

They've also added the College comments to the BBC web article.

I suppose on the bright side it gives us more ammunition for supporting wearing spectacles and allows us to show scientific proof for it's benefit.