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Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Detecting vision problems in New Zealand children can be difficult because often kids – and their parents – are unaware they’re even having trouble with their eyesight, according to a leading optometrist.
“Especially in the younger years, children simply adapt to the world they can see,”… View moreDetecting vision problems in New Zealand children can be difficult because often kids – and their parents – are unaware they’re even having trouble with their eyesight, according to a leading optometrist.
“Especially in the younger years, children simply adapt to the world they can see,” says Arshad Hoosen, Optometrist Director at Specsavers Sylvia Park in Auckland.
“This makes them very vulnerable to eyesight problems, and my tip for parents, if they’re worried, is not to leave it too late for their children to be tested. Because vision loss can often be prevented or treated if detected early.”
Hoosen says that while issues are frequently picked up through routine school health checks, Specsavers offers free comprehensive eye checks every year to all children under the age of 16*.
Vision problems are relatively widespread among young Kiwis. According to the University of Auckland’s Vision Research, between 5% and 10% of New Zealand children have some form of vision problem which, if left untreated, could affect their literacy and academic performance.
Globally, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) reports an estimated 450 million children have a sight problem needing treatment, while 90 million are living with some form of vision loss – with many suffering from preventable conditions.
Hoosen says there are a number of signs of potential vision problems that parents and caregivers can look out for.
Among these: a child might blink more often, move close to the TV, or put their head at an unusual angle when viewing a device or reading a book. They may also squint their eyes to see, complain of headaches, have constantly watering eyes, say they can’t see clearly, or experience difficulty learning or reading.
Vision difficulties can affect a child’s learning and development and because so much learning is done visually, reading, writing, board work and computer use are all much harder if they can’t see properly.
Hoosen says children with eye problems may not be aware that what they are seeing isn’t normal, and therefore won’t speak up about their difficulties. Without early screening, kids can miss out on vital learning years before anyone realises there’s a problem.
“In saying that, I’ve had parents bring their child in for a check because they’ve had a sixth sense something is wrong – and parents who wear glasses themselves are usually more aware of problems,” he says.
“But it is often a teacher at school who will pick up on issues before a parent, especially if a child is reluctant to read because words are out of focus and blurry, or they won’t do their homework.”
He says if problems are suspected or picked up during school screening, it’s important to follow up with a full check by an optometrist.
Specsavers includes an advanced 3D eye scan (OCT, or Optical Coherence Tomography) as part of every standard comprehensive eye test to help detect conditions in their earliest stages.
The OCT takes a series of high-definition non-invasive 3D scans of the back of the eye. These scans help optometrists detect eye conditions sooner, sometimes before any symptoms appear.
“It’s like the difference between getting a warrant of fitness for your car, or taking it in for a full service,” he says. “That’s why we offer the free annual checks – and affordable glasses – so we can detect eye conditions early.”
Hoosen says it’s important for parents to understand that eye conditions can change. “Short-sightedness can develop quickly, and a child who doesn’t need glasses at age four may do so at eight, for example.”
Hoosen says there are several ways children can look after their eye health, including limiting long periods of near work – such as reading or using screens – which can help slow the progression of short-sightedness.
“It’s a good idea for children to take regular breaks from their screens and spend time outside every day,” he says, adding that vision problems are not socio-economically based, occurring across a wide cross-section of society.
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Sturdy French style iron wall shelf
High build quality, very sturdy, heavy frame. In good condition.
Has four shelves and can be hung either way up.
The metal frame comes with a set of wooden boards a set of aerated concrete (AAC) blocks for an alternative look.
Dimensions:
H:1500W:595D:350
Distance between shelves(from … View moreHigh build quality, very sturdy, heavy frame. In good condition.
Has four shelves and can be hung either way up.
The metal frame comes with a set of wooden boards a set of aerated concrete (AAC) blocks for an alternative look.
Dimensions:
H:1500W:595D:350
Distance between shelves(from outside edge)
Top-1: 305mm
1-2: 335mm
2-3: 333mm
3-4: 335mm
4-Bottom: 70mm
Pick up in Central Auckland.
Free Wood
A large number of old wood from our house renovation. A lot of it is rimu. Free.
We are in mt alvert and it can be picked up any time. Two pieces of corrugated iron also
Think You Need a Headboard? These 11 Ideas Will Change Your Mind
Hey Neighbours!
Who says a headboard is the only way to style your bed? From bold pillows to dreamy curtains and even lush greenery, there are so many clever ways to make your bedroom look cozy and stylish without one.
Discover 11 creative ideas here: beds4u.co.nz...
Severe weather risk: MetService issues weather watches as storms sweep northern North Island
A slow-moving front over central New Zealand is forecast to move eastwards today, while another front is expected to move northwards over the lower South Island tonight.
MetService meteorologist Dom Barry told the Herald a complex trough affecting the North Island is bringing a large amount of … View moreA slow-moving front over central New Zealand is forecast to move eastwards today, while another front is expected to move northwards over the lower South Island tonight.
MetService meteorologist Dom Barry told the Herald a complex trough affecting the North Island is bringing a large amount of rain for Northland all the way down to Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
A number of weather watches have been issued and many may be upgraded to warnings, Barry said.
Associated with those fronts, Kiwis are forecast to see thunderstorms and localised downpours, particularly for the likes of Northland, this morning.
Aucklanders should expect to see the heaviest falls in the morning.
“If there happens to be a thunderstorm pop up, that will also have some heavier falls associated with that,” Barry said.
For the South Island, there are multiple fronts affecting the southern part of the island.
“For areas north of Otago and Southland and southern Westland, mainly fine for eastern coast areas, Canterbury, Canterbury High Country, Marlborough-Nelson area, not looking too bad,” Barry said.
“There’s just a bit of rain about Buller in the morning, which turns to showers in the afternoon.”
A number of regions were likely to have also experienced muggy temperatures overnight.
“We’ve got some areas, the likes of Taupō, Rotorua, looking at temperatures that are six-ish degrees above average overnight,” Barry said.
Those areas were looking at overnight temperatures of 12-14C, he said.
Weather watches and warnings
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A heavy rain watch is in place for Northland until 10am today.
Aotea Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula are under the same watch until 8pm tonight.
Auckland is also under a heavy rain watch until 11am and Waikato until 1pm.
Bay of Plenty and the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers are under the same watch until 3am on Thursday.
This comes after a week of heavy rain across the country. Wellington, Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt all recorded their second-wettest days of this year so far on Monday.
“This is not the greatest news for parents and caregivers who may be wanting their kids outside to burn energy,” Barry said.
“However, it is not all bad news – there will be gaps between periods of rain where the little bundles of energy can get outside."
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Moving to Australia? NZ recruitment agency says don’t as job vacancies drop off
With the number of job vacancies in Australia falling, New Zealanders are being warned against moving to the “lucky country”.
“I’m not sure Aussie is the answer,” said Jonny Peters, director of recruitment agency Hirestaff.
“My advice is just to do your research and make sure you get … View moreWith the number of job vacancies in Australia falling, New Zealanders are being warned against moving to the “lucky country”.
“I’m not sure Aussie is the answer,” said Jonny Peters, director of recruitment agency Hirestaff.
“My advice is just to do your research and make sure you get a job offer before moving over,” he told the Herald.
Peters said Kiwi job hunters in Australia he had spoken to recently “haven’t walked into a role” and were “feeling it a little”.
He said a few ex-recruits of his had moved there but were struggling to find work. Peters said one of his own staff members shifted to Australia and found it so hard that Peters hired him again.
“It is not a given to walk into something [a job].”
The Australian Bureau of Statistics released job vacancy figures yesterday, revealing they had plummeted compared with just three months ago.
There were 336,400 vacancies in May and 327,200 in August, representing a fall of 9100, or 2.7%.
The bureau’s head of labour statistics, Robert Long, said: “Private-sector job vacancies drove this quarter’s movement, falling by 3.4%. Public-sector vacancies went up by 2.2%, which was the fourth increase in a row.”
Looking at yearly data, the number of vacancies in the year to August fell by 5000.
“This is a much smaller decrease than the same time last year, when there was a drop of 67,300 vacancies, or 16.9%,” Long said.
Construction job vacancies were down 12.7% compared with May, and down 22.4% compared with a year ago.
The number of vacancies in the electricity, gas, water and waste services industry were down 2.7% compared with May, and down 23.6% compared with last year.
There were 15% fewer vacancies in the financial and insurance services compared with May and 5.2% fewer than last year.
The mining industry showed a 13.8% drop in job vacancies in the three months to August. Over the year, however, the number of vacancies increased by 2.9%.
There was also a huge increase in vacancies in manufacturing, with 9.7% more than three months ago and 46% more than a year ago.
In New Zealand, meanwhile, the number of advertised job vacancies in the year to the June quarter fell by 7.6%. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said its “jobs online” dataset showed a decline of 21.7% in the year to the March quarter.
Peters, of Hirestaff, said people worried about finding work here and feeling pushed to make the leap to Australia should wait before rushing across the Ditch.
He said it would be concerning when job prospects here start turning and “half your workforce is going to be over there”.
“If people can hang tight in New Zealand for just a bit longer, there will be opportunities coming up.”
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City Vision team for Albert-Eden
"Kia ora,
We’re your City Vision team for Albert-Eden. Our candidates for council and the local board are hard-working, experienced and ready to make things better for our community. In Albert-Eden, we’ll fund great events to bring people to our historic town centres, get public … View more"Kia ora,
We’re your City Vision team for Albert-Eden. Our candidates for council and the local board are hard-working, experienced and ready to make things better for our community. In Albert-Eden, we’ll fund great events to bring people to our historic town centres, get public transport moving, and make sure we have the green space and infrastructure we need for a growing city. We want to hear from you: find us on Facebook, Instagram, or at our website
Your team for Albert-Eden
Jacqui Tay, Margi Watson, Christina Robertson, Emma McInnes, Paul Chalmers, Jonty Carroll, Mark Graham and Michelle Thorp for Albert-Eden Local Board
Julie Fairey and Jon Turner for Council.
Authorised by Gwen Shaw, 027 414 4074. Endorsed by City Vision, 2/21 Emmett Street, Herne Bay, Auckland"
Poll: Hybrid Work ... Game-Changer or Culture Killer? 🚀
Many workplaces now embrace hybrid working — splitting time between home and the office. For years, people have built their routines and lifestyles around this flexibility.
But critics say it weakens team spirit, slows training, and makes collaboration harder.
💬 What do you think? Hybrid… View moreMany workplaces now embrace hybrid working — splitting time between home and the office. For years, people have built their routines and lifestyles around this flexibility.
But critics say it weakens team spirit, slows training, and makes collaboration harder.
💬 What do you think? Hybrid forever, or back to the office full-time?
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32.9% It’s a modern world and we need modern ways of working!
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20.1% Back to the office!
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33.3% There’s no 'one-size-fits-all'.
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13.7% This doesn’t affect me.
Make Old New Again: Refresh Your Furniture with Resene Style
Transform an old piece of furniture into a cool home entertaining statement with your favourite Resene colour. Find out how to refresh your furniture with these easy step by step instructions.
Poll: Will we reach our Predator Free target in 2050?
Aotearoa New Zealand is aiming to be predator-free in 2050 to ensure our islands' unique species of birds, frogs, lizards and plants can thrive.
New Zealand has among the highest proportions of threatened or at-risk species in the world, and around 25 million native birds are killed by … View moreAotearoa New Zealand is aiming to be predator-free in 2050 to ensure our islands' unique species of birds, frogs, lizards and plants can thrive.
New Zealand has among the highest proportions of threatened or at-risk species in the world, and around 25 million native birds are killed by introduced predators every year. But it's not all bad news - when predators are removed or controlled, nature bounces back fast. We’ve already seen it happening in many parts of the country!
People all over Aotearoa are doing their bit - setting traps in their backyards, planting natives, volunteering, or donating. You can too! Backyard trapping is one example of effective individual action.
What do you think? Can we reach our Predator Free target in 2050?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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25.7% Yes - through government, community and individual action.
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33.5% No - this is not a realistic goal.
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38.5% Maybe - perhaps adjust the goal to 'predator management'?
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2.3% This is a nuanced issue (share in the comments).
Italian tiles, matte finish, suitable for wall or floor
11.0 sq. metre of the grey and approx 2.5 sq. metre of the off-white. The tiles are 320mm x 80 mm, both colours are matte finish in very attractive shades of grey and off-white. They are the remains of a mis-measure at time of ordering. Please contact for viewing and pick up.
Tired of feeling tired? Here’s why sleep matters
Hey Neighbours!
Ever notice how even one rough night’s sleep can throw off your whole day — your mood, focus, and even your energy? The truth is, nothing really makes up for lost sleep.
That’s why we’ve pulled together some simple tips to help you sleep better, stress less, and wake … View moreHey Neighbours!
Ever notice how even one rough night’s sleep can throw off your whole day — your mood, focus, and even your energy? The truth is, nothing really makes up for lost sleep.
That’s why we’ve pulled together some simple tips to help you sleep better, stress less, and wake up refreshed.
Read the full tips here: beds4u.co.nz...
Sweet dreams, neighbours — you deserve them!
Sell
Hi my neighbors,
Here is a single wooden bed frame and mattress to sell. The frame for $50 and you can have the mattress for free.
Thanks.
Support Pots for Tots with Resene!
Get painting and help Kiwi kids. Buy any Resene 60 mL testpot colour starting with the letter P, O or T and Resene will donate $1 to Plunket NZ.
Visit your local Resene ColorShop to find all the colour you need to bring out the best in your home.
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Camellia & Co Flowers - Wedding
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Clinical Smiles Dental Clinics
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Paramount Gardening Lawnmowing Services
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NZ Transport Agency Community Organisation
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Mt Albert Community & Leisure Centre 773 New North Road, Mount Albert, Auckland
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