Back to School Eye Exams are Critical to a Child’s Classroom Success
As we prepare to send our children off to school we remember to schedule our immunizations, replace the clothes they’ve outgrown and run through the list school supplies; however, it’s easy to overlook our children’s vision. A back to school eye exam is essential to a child’s success. Afterall, over 80% of what a child learns is through what they see yet over 86% of children have never had an eye exam.
The link between learning and eyesight is compelling. Eye exams that include a thorough assessment of a child’s vision and ocular health are crucial for children of all ages. Set your child up for a successful school year. Start a great tradition with a back to school eye exam. Poor eyesight can adversely affect a child’s educational performance and social development.
Important facts to consider;
- The American Optometric Association states that 60% of children identified as having learning difficulties have undetected visual problems.
- Uncorrected or insufficiently corrected vision leads to an accelerated rate of progression in a child’s nearsightedness.
- Vision problems affect one out of twenty preschool age children. Untreated visual problems can worsen leading to other more serious behavioral and learning problems.
A Back To School Eye Exam Is More Important Than Ever
As adults, we spend hours a day looking at our small digital devices; however, our children spend even more time on their digital devices. Time spent on cell phones and tablets have a significant impact a child’s vision, by creating an environment conducive to increasing nearsightedness and an increased exposure to blue light. New technology in contact lenses has made it possible to prevent the progression of nearsightedness in children. Advances in ophthalmic lens coatings now making it possible to block certain harmful wavelengths of light emitted from digital devices and computer screens.
Back To School Eye Exam Experts
The eye doctors at Total Eye Care are experts in determining which of these technologies are best for you and your family. Call Today or schedule your appointment online.
In a study published online this week in the journal Pediatrics entitled “Emergency Department Visits for Medical Device-Associated Adverse Events Among Children” it was found that 23% of the medical device related emergency room visits involving children from birth to 21 years of age were contact lens related, this is in contrast to the next closest category, injuries due to a puncture by a hypodermic needle, which placed a distant second at 8%. An additional noteworthy finding was that an another 6% of the ER visits involved lacerations caused by eyeglasses.
Injuries due to eyeglass lenses and frames was also a significant source of injuries in the study. We must therefore, not forget to provide our children with protective eyewear when they participate in sports. Sports eyewear has come a long way since the days when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar captured his trademark look. Sports eyewear has now become fashionable and safe.
As parents we often think that our son or daughter has good vision and therefore does not need an eye exam. Common misperceptions of why eye exams in children are not important include, my son doesn’t complain of blurry vision, my child’s grades are good, or the parents have good vision therefore the kids probably do too.
Some of the vision problems cited in the literature review included undiagnosed nearsightedness, farsightedness, amblyopia, retinoblastoma, congenital defects, and strabismus. The report went on to state that a vision screening was not a substitute for an eye exam and that eye exams from an optometrist or ophthalmologist were a very effective way to detect vision problems in children.
Is it too early to think about what we need to do to get our kids ready for school? One of the most important “school supplies” is your child’s annual eye exam. Over 80% of what a child learns is through their eyes, therefore it is important for our kids to see their very best.