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MINOR AILMENTS
Minor ailments are treated by the Health Visitors at the Clinics, or at school if requested by the Head
Teacher.
These arrangements are found to avoid loss of school time which would otherwise be inevitable.
During the year a total of 252 pupils was treated.
TREATMENT OF PUPILS
EYE DISEASES, DEFECTIVE VISION AND SQUINT
Number of cases known to have been dealt with:-
External and other, excluding errors of refraction and squint 11
Errors of refraction (including squint) 3,984
Total 3,995
Number of pupils for whom spectacles were prescribed 1,734
OPHTHALMIC CLINICS
These Clinics are situated at Beckenham, Bromley, Chislehurst, Orpington, Penge and St. Paul's Cray. A
total of 9 weekly sessions is held at these centres. In addition, a session is held every other week at Bromley.
A total of 837 new cases and 3,147 re-examinations was seen at the Clinics.
It would seem unnecessary to stress how vital it is that children's vision should be checked. It is net universally
appreciated how defects of vision are often accepted by a child, and the parents are, therefore, not alerted to their
existence.
In spite of this it is surprising the wastage that occurs from appointments not being kept. Regrettably, in
some cases no message is received either, which leads to difficulties in making up full appointment lists.
ORTHOPTIC CLINIC
Patients seen at this Clinic are always referred by an Ophthalmologist. Two weekly sessions are held at the
Bromley North Clinic, and one session per week at The Willows Clinic, Chislehurst. Patients not living in the areas
served by these two clinics are seen at the nearest local Hospital.
The following types of cases are referred
(a) Cases of obvious strabismus or squint.
(b) Patients suspected of having a strabismus.
(c) Amblyopic patients.
(d) Patients with any ocular muscle imbalance.
(e) Patients who are complaining of ocular symptoms, the cause of which is not obvious to the Ophthalmologist.
Details of treatments and attendances are as follows:-
Number of new cases 77
Number on treatment 19
Number on occlusion 52
Number under observation 149
Number of treatments given 44
Number of cures with operation 13
Number of cures without operation 50
Cases discharged — cured a) Functional for binocular single vision 36
b) Cosmetic 27
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