Back To School Eye Examinations

School will be back in session soon. As you complete your list of “things to do” preparing your child, make certain that “Back-to-School” eye examinations are performed. As parents, we do the best we can to equip our children with all of the tools needed for them to succeed. Being able to see well at all distances for the required amount of time will be one of their most valuable tools. Good vision and proper vision care will help your child read and learn better.

Most of the information a child receives in school is through their sense of vision, however vision problems are surprisingly common in children. One-in-four school aged children have some form of vision problem that may affect their learning. Make certain your child is not one of them.

Children can be good students and athletes, but still be victims of poor visual skills. If their eyes do not work properly, it becomes increasingly difficult year after year to maintain the required level and degree of reading and comprehension skills. Parents should be on the lookout and consult their eye doctor if they notice their child

Looses their place while reading,
Dislikes and avoids reading,
Places their head too close to a book or desk while reading,
Frequently rubs their eyes or blinks a lot,
Has frequent headaches,
Squints or frowns a lot,
Turns or tilts their head to use one eye only,
Makes reversals when reading or writing,
Uses their finger to maintain their place while reading,
Omits or confuses small words when reading,
Has a short attention span or daydreams frequently,
Experiences a drop in scholastic or sports performance,
Has trouble finishing timed written assignments,
Performs below potential.

20/20 visual acuity is considered “perfect” vision, but simply means you can see a small letter (about 8 mm) at a distance of 20 feet. Its what is commonly tested in school screenings. Good vision is much more than that and involves many different vision skills working together enabling your child to see clearly and to understand what he or she sees.

Your eyes must be able to focus clearly and accurately far away, up close, and in between. They must be able to move back and forth, right to left, up and down and vice versa in a smooth fluid manner. Your right eye must be balanced with your left eye so you have good depth perception. And your eyes must have sufficient focusing and converging reserves so they dont fatigue and tire out too quickly.

A disruption in any of these visual skills can seriously affect a childs reading and learning ability. Parents must realize that these problems can exist even if their child appears to be seeing well. Parents must also realize that even if they both have good vision, their children may suffer from poor vision and/or visual skills. Most children are not aware they are having any difficulty and assume everyone else sees the same way.

Just as your childs physical size changes dramatically year after year, so can their vision. Yearly comprehensive eye examinations are the only way to ensure your childs eyes and vision are functioning properly and efficiently. And remember, vision screenings are no substitute for a thorough eye examination.

Equally important is choosing an eye doctor who understands children and enjoys working with children; one your child will like and trust. Your care and concern for your childs vision can enrich their future. A thorough eye examination will help diagnose and correct vision problems and give your child an advantage in learning.