MORANT BAY, St. Thomas:
AN EYE specialist from Vision Eye Care Centre in Alberta, Canada has expressed concern that poor vision among many children in Jamaica may be impacting negatively on their learning.
Dr. Bob Earlandson of the Eye Care Centre told The Gleaner that "the biggest problem with the children is nearsightedness, where they are unable to see the chalkboard." He said there were also other eye-related illnesses which could retard the learning process.
Dr. Earlandson was speaking in an interview with The Gleaner after a six-man team of doctors conducted four days of free eye care in St. Thomas. Dr. Earlandson said some of the problems were associated with lack of education on proper vision care, unavailability of vision care and unhygienic conditions.
"Our purpose is to help the children to be able to see as they would have an added advantage, as learning is over 80 per cent visual," the eye specialist said. "The people we see are in need," he said. "They couldn't afford to have their eyes examined. They couldn't afford a pair of glasses if they need it. We are filling that gap of trying to get (glasses and eye care for) those children who couldn't afford it."
