OSA
Mumsnet uncovered real parental confusion around eye health, helping the Optical Suppliers Association shape clearer messaging and drive stronger engagement with UK families
“Data mining across the Mumsnet platform, of all optically-related conversations over the past five years provided the basis for the survey. Parents of children of all ages, throughout the UK, were approached with a response which exceeded our expectations. Thanks to Mumsnet we now have an unrivalled insight and we will clearly be using this research as a reference point for the next two years.” - Janice English, PR Director, Optical Suppliers' Association (2025)
Brief in brief
Raise awareness of the importance of children’s eye health and highlight gaps in understanding around eye care best practices, aiming to influence parental behaviours and policy.
Insight
Despite the increasing prevalence of myopia, parents are more likely to prioritise dental check-ups over eye tests. A lack of knowledge around when to book eye tests, who to turn to for different eye issues, and confusion around common conditions like lazy eye and squint prevents timely and informed action.
Opportunity
Use Mumsnet’s rich, unfiltered parenting conversations and survey data to uncover real parental concerns and confusion around eye health. Partnering with the Optical Suppliers Association, we combined qualitative and quantitative analysis to shape educational campaigns, support lobbying efforts, and build greater trust and awareness among UK parents.
Approach
We took a two-pronged approach to this research study:
Qualitative analysis of parents’ organic conversations to understand their knowledge levels, experiences and concerns
Using our AI-powered tool, MumsGPT, we conducted exploratory data mining of ~16.5K relevant Mumsnet conversations from September 2019 to September 2024. This analysis of parents’ unprompted discussions allowed us to gain deeper insight into their thoughts and feelings.
Quantitative analysis of survey results to measure and validate qualitative insights and hypotheses
Building on the qualitative findings, we designed a survey informed by the key themes uncovered through the data mining. Conducted between December 2024 and January 2025, the survey reached 1,000 respondents, enabling us to quantify and validate key qualitative findings and hypotheses.
Key Insights
Through this research, we unearthed the below key insights:
Eye health takes a backseat – despite the importance of vision, parents are more likely to prioritise dental check-ups over eye tests, as OSA suspected.
Parents are divided on when children should get their first eye test – there is uncertainty over the ideal age for this.
Confusion over eyecare specialists leaves parents unsure where to turn – many struggle to identify the right professional for eye injuries, sudden vision issues, or discomfort.
Blurred lines between common eye conditions – parents frequently mix up terms like “lazy eye” and “squint,” further proving their need for guidance and education surrounding children's eye health.
Applications
The UK Optical Community plan to use the results to raise awareness of the importance of children’s eye care among parents, and to lobby for a more cohesive plan for eye screening for children across the UK.
They’ve already secured national and trade press coverage to help with this objective.
