Stafford Lions Club (CIO) received the following heartwarming email from a local optician:
Hi
I wanted to email about a child whom I know as I look after his older brother here at Asda.
I was given the prescription for the child [Bobby] and I was totally shocked by the strength of the prescription, and the fact he has never worn specs before. It’s hard to explain how poor his vision is, and how he’s found ways of adapting, which allows him to have a normal life. Unbeknown to him or his parents he’s just got on with things as he has never known anything different, and the parents would not have picked up on this.
This child could not see anything clearly unless centimetres away. Everything would have been a blur. These patients are usually reserved, accident prone, always stand close to parent, and are very, very shy children. Not sociable.
I know this child’s life will be a thousand times better. His personality will change, he will find new friends, his schoolwork will suddenly improve. This type of patient is once every few years, and it’s the best part of my job to witness them putting the specs on and seeing the world as we do. His mum told me he kept staring at his palm, as he didn’t know it had creases, he just stared at her face and smiled. Pointing at her freckles as he’s never seen them before.
I asked the mum if I could pass this on, as I wanted you to know that you have changed this child’s life so much. Every part of his life will improve. I got the best part by watching him wear them [the glasses] and making him understand what they do. It is emotional to witness. This is not a routine prescription like 99% of my patients, this is life changing.
This makes what you do worth it.
Andrew Brammer
Optical Manager ASDA Stafford U.K.
Bobby’s mother, Maggie, kindly supplied us with a photograph and also told us that Bobby was surprised when he saw, for the very first time, that strawberries had seeds on the outside. We screened Bobby in a small village school where they only have three children in their reception infant class.
Lion Dave Lewis, Vision Screening Team Leader, Stafford Lions Club (CIO) U.K.