Optometry Australia has launched a new campaign around children's eye heath urging parents to have their children's eyes examined before they begin school as well as regular eye check-ups throughout their school years.

It is estimated about one in five children suffer from an undetected vision problem or require ongoing assessment.

"Children should have their eyes examined at least once to ensure that they are in fact seeing well out of both of their eyes which is going to hold them in good stead throughout their life," Optometry Australia chairman Andrew Harris said.

"If they have learning problems, if they seem to have trouble seeing the board or they're not reading properly, then it makes good sense that they get their eyes examined to ensure that that isn't a factor."

Optometrist Hong Nguyen, from Andrew Watkins Optometrist in the Canberra Centre, welcomed the new campaigns.

"It is important for people to get their eyes checked for early detection of eye disease," she said.

"I think all parents should have their children's eyes tested before they start school even if they don't notice any problems so that if there are any problems, they can be detected early."

Mr Harris said children and the over 45s were the two largest "untested" groups in the community.The campaign targeting over 45s will be launched later this year.

"Optometrists obviously prescribe glasses and contact lenses when needed but they also look for eye disease. Eye disease is quite prevalent in people aged 45 and over and it increases three-fold with each decade after 40," he said.

"A lot of that eye disease is asymptomatic so even if you're seeing well, it doesn't mean your eyes are healthy so that's why regular eye examinations make a world of sense whether you're seeing well or not."

Mr Harris said eye examinations could also help detect other health conditions.

"There are a whole lot of systemic diseases that are connected with eye problems – diabetes increases the risk for glaucoma and cataracts and also there's a risk of getting diabetic retinopathy, smokers are four times more likely to develop macular degeneration and age is a risk factor in itself," he said.

Mr Harris said the economic and health burden of vision impairment could be significantly reduced through timely access to primary eye care.

"About 500,000 people are visually impaired or blind and 80 per cent of that is preventable. That costs the Australian community, according to Access Economics, $16.6 billion a year which is a bit of a waste when you look at the fact that a lot of that can be managed or treated," he said.

The organisation, which has just changed its name from Optometrists Association Australia, on Wednesday launched a new policy platform to boost access to primary eye care for Australians and ensure sustainability of the optometry sector.

Mr Harris said the policy included the two new eye care campaigns as well as initiatives to support optometrists' businesses and increase representation to government on issues such as protecting and strengthening the profession.

In a bid to open the eyes of politicians, Optometry Australia held eye health and vision screening tests for MPs and their staffers at Parliament House on Wednesday.

For more information about the children's eye health campaign, visit: kidspot.com.au/Healthy-for-life/sponsor/985.htm.