Specsavers Opticians on the Isle of Wight has become an unlikely hero for a 13-year-old boy after supplying him with a free eye examination and designer specs.
Nathan Debune, from France, moved to the UK in January to live with his mother and step-family. When he arrived his glasses were badly-damaged and not helping him to see clearly.
His mother, Sophie Watterelos, booked an appointment with Specsavers in Newport to have his prescription updated and choose a new set of specs. Usually children are entitled to free glasses through the NHS, however new arrivals to the UK have to wait six months to qualify.
Catherine Kidd, store director of Newport Specsavers, says: ‘When Nathan and his mother visited the store it was clear his glasses were not in good condition and, if left, could actually make his vision worse. We have a duty of care to the local community, so we decided to give Nathan a complimentary eye test and allowed him to pick a pair of glasses for free.’
Store staff worked quickly to produce Nathan’s chosen glasses, which were ready for collection the next day.
Mrs Watterelos says: ‘Nathan and I are so grateful to Newport Specsavers for helping us with our dilemma. The store staff were amazing with Nathan, especially considering he speaks very little English. He loves his new glasses and they will come in handy when he begins school next week.’
Eye examinations for children are paid for by the NHS up to the age of 16, or 19 if they are in full-time education. If children need glasses, the NHS contributes towards the cost. At Specsavers, this voucher entitles children to free spectacles up to £85, from a wide range of fashionable frames.
To view the full range of children’s spectacles visit www.specsavers.co.uk. To book an eye examination, visit Specsavers at 40 High Street, Newport, PO30 1SE, call 01983 821 280 or visit www.specsavers.com/stores/iow.
Image: Nathan with Lara Newman from the store after he had received his new glasses.
This article has been read 537 times!
