The School of Optometry and Vision Science established the Vision Education Centre in 1990 to offer a science excursion and health service to primary school children.
From our first days of life, our visual system is used to take in and process information. It is well known that if a child does not see clearly or if their eyes do not work effectively together, then a child’s development, performance in learning and classroom tasks may be affected. Therefore, the management of visual problems at an early age provides the child with clear efficient vision, helping them to function to the best of their ability.
The excursion to the Vision Education Centre includes a one-hour health and science lesson on eyes and visual science plus a comprehensive eye and vision examination, all tailored for the children’s age. The science activities are led by the Outreach Centre for Sciences at UNSW with Optometry students who act as buddies to small groups of 3-4 school children for the hands-on activities. Refreshments are provided between the activities and the eye examination. An activity book with diagrams, word games and
home-based projects is given out to reinforce terms and concepts covered during the visit.
Parents are given questionnaires before the visit to indicate particular visual or educational concerns and after the visit are sent a report of findings of the eye examination.
Vision Education Centre inquires and appointments:
Telephone: (02) 9385 4624