Specsavers practice supports local children’s hospital

A Scottish branch of Specsavers has funded a number of virtual reality headsets for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

The donation from the multiple’s Galashiels practice will enable patients to experience virtual reality through the headsets, which can be used individually or linked with separate monitors to allow the children’s families and friends to join in.

Optometrist director at Specsavers Galahiels, Iain McFadyen, hopes that the headsets will provide bring a fun activity for young patients to enjoy with their parents. “I have been working on this project for over a year so I’m thrilled that the children are now able to experience the virtual reality headsets,” he said, adding: “Through virtual reality, the children will get the chance to visit space, go underwater and hang out with robots and dinosaurs.”

Very close to the project, Mr McFadyen wanted to ensure that the headsets could be used by all patients. He explained: “In order for the sessions to be accessible for limited mobility and bed-bound children at the hospital, I built a custom portable computer in a suitcase that works with the Oculus and Vive headsets.”

Working in partnership with the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, Specsavers stores across the east of Scotland have made a collective contribution to help fund the equipment.