Children from Belarus, an area still affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, were recently welcomed by the team at a West Lothian opticians, where they received eye health checks and complimentary new frames.
A group of 22 youngsters visited the Livingston Specsavers store, along with two interpreters and each received a free eye examination from the team in store.
The children live in an area still affected by the 1986 explosion and were in Scotland on a recuperative four-week holiday, organised by the charity Chernobyl Children’s Life Line. The organisation aims to improve the health and wellbeing of children still suffering from the aftermath of the disaster.
The visits, during which the children stay with local families, are said to boost their immune systems for at least two years, helping them to resist or recover from serious illness.
Specsavers store director Ted Akil, said: “We are always delighted to welcome visiting groups into the store and we’ve been involved with recuperative visits from Chernobyl Children’s Life Line ever since the concept first began, right here in West Lothian.
“Our opticians carried out eye examinations on all of the visiting youngsters ensuring their eye health is in tip top condition.
“Having the correct eyecare can greatly improve quality of life and education. We often take access to eyecare for granted in this country, but sadly many of these children don’t get the treatment they need. It was a pleasure to be able to help and it was fantastic to see their reactions to their new glasses.’
Read more about Chernobyl Children’s Life Line here: https://www.facebook.com/CCLLFife.
