Take the Moorfields challenge at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2012

Home / Press Releases / Take the Moorfields challenge at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2012

[:en]27 February 2012 (Dubai, UAE): Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (Moorfields), a branch of the world-renowned 200 year-old Moorfields eye hospital in London, has confirmed its support for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature for the second successive year, and will once again add a new dimension to the high profile event, with eye tests, English and Arabic storytelling, competitions, arts & crafts, face painting, a games area, and balloon bending, as well as a photo booth with digital print outs on the spot to provide lasting memories for those attending as well as an extra element of fun. Moorfields will be entertaining and educating visitors in the downstairs foyer area at the Event Center, on Friday March 9th and Saturday March 10th, 2012, from 10am to 5pm.
Moorfields is offering younger visitors (and the whole family) to the Festival an opportunity to enjoy a fun-filled, educational time, as the team from Moorfields challenges visitors to take an eye test and learn more about ‘Frisby Stereo’, ‘Ishihara colours’ and ‘Kay pictures’. In addition to fun and games, experts from Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai will be on hand to provide advice and guidance on eye care for children and other family members, and to answer any questions.
Moorfields’ important health message for parents attending the Festival is based on the 5 good reasons why children should have regular eye tests:

  • Eye problems in children are relatively common
  • Eye problems run in families
  • Small children who are born with poor vision cannot tell you their vision is poor
  • Children may be having difficulty at school because of a vision problem
  • Most causes of poor vision are easily corrected if they are picked up and treated in time

Commenting on the hospital’s sponsorship and activity programme for the Festival, Dr Chris Canning, CEO and Medical Director at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, said: “Moorfields is delighted to be supporting this world class literature festival in Dubai for a second year, after a very successful event in 2011.Of course, the benefits of reading are significant and, if encouraged at a young age, reading can become a lifelong pleasure. Reading difficulties can also be a sign of eye problems and so there is a natural connection with our work at Moorfields. We look forward to having a lot of fun over the course of the Festival but there is a serious message as well. The human brain is learning to see from birth until about the age of seven and a half and so checking the eyes during this time is important. Eye tests for children are quick, simple and painless and can help prevent serious problems in later children or in adulthood. We will have some fun eye tests on our stand and we hope all families coming to the Festival will take the challenge and learn about the five reasons for children to have an eye test.”
Issued on behalf of MEHD by WPR.
Media Contact:
Jonathan Walsh
WPR
Dubai
Tel: 050 4588610
Email: [email protected]