When going through your fall checklist with the family (we have the final fall dental checkup tomorrow, all five of us will be up to date), don’t forget to book an eye-exam for everyone.
A survey conducted by Leger Marketing on Children’s Eye Health in July 2010, reported that 61 per cent of Canadian parents mistakenly believe they would know if their child was having difficulty with their eyesight.
However, many serious eye conditions do not have obvious symptoms and some eye diseases only show symptoms when the condition is advanced and difficult to treat.
Doctors of Optometry recommend infants have their first eye examination between six and nine months of age. Children should have at least one eye exam between the ages of two and five, and yearly after starting school to ensure optimal vision and development.
It has been shown that 80% of all learning during a child’s first 12 years is visually based, therefore a comprehensive eye examination is essential to provide the full assurance of vision and eye health that a simple eye-chart test or a vision screening cannot.
In some provinces, schools offer vision screening programs that many parents and teachers misconstrue as a comprehensive eye exam. It is important to recognize that vision screening is a limited procedure, not equivalent to an optometric eye exam. Studies have shown that approximately 43 per cent of children with vision problems can pass a vision screening test.
While vision screening tests the ability to see clearly at a distance, a comprehensive eye exam looks at all aspects of a child’s vision function, including how well the eyes focus up close, how the eyes work together and the overall health of the eyes. Even if your child has 20/20 vision, they still need to have an eye exam.
If glasses are in your child’s future, when choosing their first pair of glasses start by ensuring that your child likes the style and colour of the frames that are being selected. A child will be more inclined to wear their glasses every day when they are happy with their appearance. Now more than ever, Canadians have a vast selection to choose from and – unlike in my childhood – are not limited to what the local shop in the mall had to offer! Places like SmartBuyGlasses.ca for example, give consumers the opportunity to compare brands and prices and purchase unique eyewear perfect for every personality (and yes, they even have glasses for kids).
My guys have been going to the eye doctor since they were six months old. It’s amazing how early vision problems can be detected and helped. I had to click on this article because it’s my dog on it (French mastiff). They are the best! 🙂