Independent launches urban eye test initiative

OCO Opticians of Spitalfields has partnered with McCann Health London for an initiative designed to encourage the public to have regular eye tests.

From now until 28 October, floor panels that allow the public to check their sight using landmarks in the urban area can be found around Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Spitalfields Market.

A QR code on the floor panels allows users to book an eye test at OCO Opticians of Spitalfields via their phone.

People are being encouraged to share their experiences on the Urban Eye Test via social media using the hashtag #urbaneyetest

Launching the Urban Eye Test initiative, optometrist and co-founder of OCO Opticians of Spitalfields, Jennie Hillyer, said: “It’s an easy and innovative way to get Londoners to start thinking about their eye health by making them realise that their vision might not be perfect. Because vision deteriorates quite slowly, people often don't realise there’s anything wrong.”

Executive creative director for EMEA at McCann Health, Adrian Parr, added: “People are time poor. We realise a natural human instinct is to put things off and ‘soldier on’ until they become critical. This idea builds on that insight and disrupts it in an unexpected way, to provoke and simulate action.”