ARTISTIC youngsters have been making a spectacle of themselves to encourage parents to take their children to the opticians.

Bosses at the Village Opticians in Bury New Road, Prestwich, organised a design contest to raise awareness of the need for children to get their eyes tested early and often.

It follows the release of Government statistics, which show that one-fifth of children visit the opticians every six months, compared with a 92 per cent figure for dentist visits.

Village Opticians practice manager Gilliam Moore said: "My son Matthew had brief eye tests at school but it wasn't until he had a proper eye test an optician that an astigmatism was spotted.

"Once he got glasses, his school work improved and he is all the better for it."

Mrs Moore added: "Many parents don't realise that they entitled to a free eye test for their children every 12 months.

"Some don't bring their child until they are nine or ten, and by then, problems could have developed.

"When children are younger, it can be harder for them to understand that they have eyesight problems because what they see to them seems normal. They will not know any different.

"I would advise parents to start bringing their children to the optician when they are aged four."

About 100 children entered the contest and were challenged to draw a fashionable pair of glasses.

Winner Isabella Scala, aged nine, took home the top prize of an iPad mini, while Aharon Pereira, aged nine, won an iPod Nano and Dina Gershon, aged 11, won £50 of music vouchers.

"The artistic talent of the children was very impressive and we were thrilled with the number of people who entered," added Mrs Moore.