An Eye Exam Could Save Your Child’s Eyesight
Good vision is important to help ensure a good education for your child. The school years are a very important time in every child’s life, and as children progress in school they face increasing demands on their visual abilities. Also, vision can change frequently during the school years so it is essential that children have regular eye and vision care.
It is very important for parents and educators to recognize that school screenings are not always an accurate indication of a child’s vision. Many school vision screenings only test for distance visual acuity, which means that a child could have another visual problem even if his results were 20/20 on the distance test. Having regular eye examinations with your eye doctor can help indicate if any of these problems are present, and thus lead to greater success in school for your child.
There are several signs that can indicate your child has a vision problem. The AOA suggests parents keep an eye out for the following signs that could indicate a possible vision insufficiency:
- Frequent eye rubbing or blinking
- Short attention span
- Avoiding reading or other close activities
- Frequent headaches
- Covering one eye or tilting head to one side
- Holding reading materials extremely close to the face
- One eye turning in or out
- Seeing double
For more information about school-aged vision, visit www.aoa.org.