As
we start to get ready to get the kids back to school in the fall, we purchase
the backpacks, new shoes, shirts and pants. Schedule appointment for back to
school physicals & dental cleanings, but what about an eye exam?
we start to get ready to get the kids back to school in the fall, we purchase
the backpacks, new shoes, shirts and pants. Schedule appointment for back to
school physicals & dental cleanings, but what about an eye exam?
- Despite
the compelling statistics, less than half of the parents surveyed by Vision Council
of America (VCA) had taken their child for a comprehensive eye exam in the past
year. - Close
to ten million children in the U.S. suffer from undetected vision problems that
may cause them to struggle in school. - 60 percent of children labeled as “problem” learners actually suffer from
undiagnosed vision problems. - Up to fifty percent of youngsters who find
themselves entangled with the criminal justice system have vision problems that
were undiagnosed prior to their run-in with the law. According to a national
organization called P.A.V.E., Parents Active for Vision Education, several
studies over the years have found a high correlation between juvenile
delinquency and vision problems. - Experts
estimate that 80 percent of what we learn is visual. - According
to the American Optometric Association (AOA) many parents are unaware that it
is recommended that children receive their first comprehensive eye exams at six
months of age to one year, again at age three, then just before starting
kindergarten and every year after that if vision problems are detected or every
2 years if no correction is needed. One in five children enters kindergarten
with undetected vision problems. Five to ten percent of pre-schoolers and 25
percent of school-aged children have vision problems. - Vision
Council of America (VCA) found that only 6% of parents recognize that vision
problems can lead to difficulties in school. - 70%
of the 2 million school-age children who have difficulty in reading have some
form of visual impairment, such as ocular motor, perceptual or binocular
dysfunction. - Research
shows that the simple vision screening, commonly used by a pediatrician or
a school nurse, detects only 5% of all vision problems.
 |
http://www.stratfordoptometrists.co.nz/Eye_Exam.htm
If
all the statistics aren’t enough have you seen the signs? Some of the common
signs that may indicate that a child is having trouble with his or her vision,
or could indicate that maybe some letters are backwards, upside down, sideways,
squiggly lines, print that splits into double images, or words that don’t stay
in one place or just can’t see what the teacher is doing on the chalkboard:
all the statistics aren’t enough have you seen the signs? Some of the common
signs that may indicate that a child is having trouble with his or her vision,
or could indicate that maybe some letters are backwards, upside down, sideways,
squiggly lines, print that splits into double images, or words that don’t stay
in one place or just can’t see what the teacher is doing on the chalkboard:
- Squinting
eyes or closing one eye - Tilting
or turning his or her head to see more clearly - Holding
things very close to their eyes to read or their eyes are really close to their
desk. - Any
eye turn or “lazy” eye - Not
being able to see the depth of a 3D movie - Difficulty
completing assignments - Headaches,
dizziness or nausea after or during reading or close work - Losing
place while reading, skipping/rereading lines of print - Double
vision, blurring, words overlapping - Fatigue, falling asleep while
reading/avoidance of near work - Poor concentration, comprehension and attention span
The
child (or their parents, or teachers) may think they are lazy, stupid, clumsy, and
slow – you name it. They see; they just don’t see correctly; their vision is
compromised; the information they take in through their eyes is not processed
normally.
child (or their parents, or teachers) may think they are lazy, stupid, clumsy, and
slow – you name it. They see; they just don’t see correctly; their vision is
compromised; the information they take in through their eyes is not processed
normally.
Early
eye examinations are crucial to make sure children have normal, healthy vision
so they can perform better at schoolwork or play, the following are basic
skills related to good eyesight. If any of these skills are inadequate or
lacking, imagine how much harder it is for a child to be an efficient learner.
Imagine, too, the frustration; and, if the child has poor coping skills,
behavior problems may emerge, at home and/or in the classroom. The sooner
the problem is diagnosed the sooner the corrective action can be taken and the
sooner the child will see improvements.
eye examinations are crucial to make sure children have normal, healthy vision
so they can perform better at schoolwork or play, the following are basic
skills related to good eyesight. If any of these skills are inadequate or
lacking, imagine how much harder it is for a child to be an efficient learner.
Imagine, too, the frustration; and, if the child has poor coping skills,
behavior problems may emerge, at home and/or in the classroom. The sooner
the problem is diagnosed the sooner the corrective action can be taken and the
sooner the child will see improvements.
- Near
vision - Distance
vision - Binocular
(two eyes) coordination - Eye
movement skills - Focusing
skills being able to maintain clear vision while shifting focus from a distant
object to a near one (accommodation) - Peripheral
awareness - Hand-eye
coordination
Be
sure to tell your eye doctor if your child has or displays any of the
following:
sure to tell your eye doctor if your child has or displays any of the
following:
- A
history of prematurity - Delayed
motor development - Frequent
eye rubbing - Excessive
blinking - Failure
to maintain eye contact - Inability
to maintain a gaze (fixation) while looking at objects - Poor
eye tracking skills - Has
your child has failed a vision screening at school or during a visit to his or
her pediatrician. - Any
previous eye problems and treatments your child has had. - Any
family history of eye problems requiring vision correction
o
Refractive
errors (nearsightedness or farsightedness or astigmatism)
Refractive
errors (nearsightedness or farsightedness or astigmatism)
o
Lazy
eye (strabismus/amblyopia)
Lazy
eye (strabismus/amblyopia)
o
Eye diseases
Eye diseases
 |
|
Schedule a back to school comprehensive eye exam between
Aug. 4th and Aug. 31st for your student and get a free gift from eyegotcha and with every back to school purchase of eyeglasses you are entered in a drawing to receive a Target gift card. |