The Eye doctor or school nurse? Where to take your child
The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends getting a pediatric eye exam from the age of 6 months. At Eyes on Worcester, we see patients of all ages. Parents often wonder why it’s important to take their child in for an eye exam with the doctor when they are told by the school nurse that their child’s vision is fine. What will the eye doctor tell me?
The answer is that while your child may seem ok, they may not be. There are so many important factors that we check with a comprehensive eye exam in addition to nearsightedness. Learning is 80% visual so its vital to ensure your child is seeing properly. Here is the most important fact: 25% of kids who pass a vision screening have eye issues. Many children are misdiagnosed with ADD or ADHD when in reality, they just have vision issues! No parent wants to risk their child struggling in school.
What will the Eye Doctor look for at my child’s eye exam?
As mentioned, even if the school nurse is saying your child’s vision is fine, there are many more factors to check regarding the health of the eye.
- Near and farsight – see if your child has an issue seeing at a distance or up close.
- Focusing skills – can the eyes focus on items near and far
- Binocular Vision/Fusion – do the eyes work together or do they drift apart? Is there eye coordination? If not, they may have Binocular Vision Dysfunction
- Lazy eye – making sure one eye isn’t dragging when the other is moving
Getting a yearly comprehensive eye exam for your child is an important step to ensuring that your child’s vision is functioning properly. We can detect any early signs of issues and treat them before they get worse. Give us a call at 877-866-8566 to book an eye exam for your child.