August is National Children’s Vision Month. It’s a good time of the year to have your child’s eyes checked because identifying and correcting any vision problems could help make their upcoming semester more successful.
Having an eye doctor examine your child’s eyes is important because he or she may not recognize that there is a problem and won’t be vocal about it. One out of four children have a vision problem that is often left uncorrected, or is corrected later on in life after experiencing years of stress.
Your child will need the following skills to have the best learning experience:
- Near vision
- Far vision
- Clear focus
- Hand-eye coordination
- Peripheral vision
Without these vision skills, your child may become stressed and unmotivated in class.
Many schools offer (and require) a medical screening performed by the school’s nursing staff at the beginning of the semester. However, these exams are usually quick and screen for common problems. Nearly 75 percent of children with vision problems fail to have their conditions caught in school medical screenings.
A comprehensive eye examination performed by an optometrist is more likely to reveal vision problems that may be missed in these school-wide screenings.
Signs your child may need vision correction
While having 20/20 vision is important, it isn’t all your optometrist will look for. Eye doctors will check for signs of more complex problems, such as inability to recognize objects and words, track movement, and focus quickly.
The following are possible indications that your child needs vision correction:
- Rubbing eyes frequently
- Blinking frequently
- Reading or watching screens close to their face
- Getting lost in words while reading
- Avoidance of reading and hand-eye coordinated activities
If your child is exhibiting these symptoms, you may want to schedule their eye exam sooner rather than later. If they need vision correction, it’s better to get them acquainted with their glasses or contacts before the semester starts, rather than them getting distracted in class.
If your child is experiencing eye discomfort or vision problems, or simply needs an eye exam, please contact Silverstein Eye Care Centers. Call us today to make an appointment for an eye exam. We can serve you at our convenient location in Independence/Kansas City at (816) 358-3600.