Kids Should Have Regular Eye Exams

Childhood is a crucial time in the development of the eyes. One of the leading causes of poor schoolwork stems from poor eyesight. According to the Vision Council of America, 80% of learning in a child's first 12 years comes through the eyes. Students that are experiencing poor eyesight may be considered hyperactive, troublemakers, slow learners or in need of special education classes.

If a child has always had fuzzy eyesight they may not realize they have a problem with their vision. There are signs that parents can be aware of that may include squinting, rubbing their eyes frequently or complaining that their eyes feel tired. Other signs may be skipping words when reading, sloppy handwriting or coloring, difficulty catching a ball or avoiding activities and games that may include close work.

Regular eye screening before a child starts school would be the best method of determining the quality of their eyesight. Many schools require the school nurse to conduct vision tests for students at the beginning each new school year, however, vision screenings by a school nurse should not be used to replace a comprehensive eye exam conducted by an optometrist.

Inform the optometrist of your child's activities such as sports, gymnastics or music lessons in the event that they need glasses or contacts. The doctor will also need to know about any genetic predispositions, allergies or injuries that may have an affect on the child's vision.

Children that play with others in groups and do not engage in activities that require close vision such as reading may not notice vision problems until after starting school. Other children that spend a lot of time with electronic toys and computer generated activities may not be resting their eyes enough and are still too young to realize they have a vision problem until they are in a school environment that requires them to read or view objects at various distances.

Teachers are often the first to detect poor eyesight in a student. Characters written on the blackboard across the room my be a problem for a child that is near-sighted. Small characters, letters and numbers in a book may be a problem for a far sighted student.

Since vision screening only identifies about 5% of possible vision problems, kids should have a regular eye exam with a qualified optometrist, during their first year and at the beginning of their first year of school.

Sources: Brochure; Transitions Optical, Inc.

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