Annual Eye Exams for Kids Often Overlooked According to the MOA

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Annual Eye Exams for Kids Often Overlooked According to the MOA

During a child's first twelve years, 80 percent of all learning comes through vision, yet vision problems affect one in 20 preschoolers and one in four school age children. This is because parents often underestimate the importance of regular eye exams, according to the Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA), which continues its educational outreach with an online "Good Sight Goes Far" program.

The MOA's "Good Sight Goes Far" educational kit is designed to bring awareness of the importance of eye health in children, and offers lessons for classrooms, tips, guidelines, facts and what to look for in vision and eye health among pre-school children to high school youth. It is available online to educators and families at www.minnesotaoptometrists.org.

Why don't more children receive regular eye exams? Adults have eye exams more regularly, but may not realize that their insurance usually covers dependent's eye exams. Families often depend on school screenings, but these are no longer automatically held in schools or they may be less frequent. Screenings do not take the place of a regular eye exam, however, since eye screenings usually use an eye chart to test visual acuity but don't address most eye health issues.

Good vision includes visual acuity, eye health, visual integration and visual skills such as eye teaming, eye focusing and eye motility. According tot he National Center for Health Statistics, 20-25 percent of children entering school have significant vision problems that can affect their development and progress in school. And, 70 percent of school-age children who have a learning disability in reading have some form of visual impairment.

Dr. Dirk Colby, MOA president, advises that eye and vision problems need to be detected and treated early. "Don't rely on your kids to tell you they can' t see because they really can't make a comparison," he said. "But there are signs of vision problems that often show up once a child is in school. We encourage teachers to use the Good Sight Goes Far kit to help detect these problems as well." Signs of eye and vision problems include having trouble finishing written assignments, skipping words when reading and making errors when copying from the classroom board.

Thanks to Harry Potter, glasses are cool

Prescription eyewear for kids is now OK with most kids, and there are lots of choices in styles, colors and materials. If the child chooses and likes the frames, the chances are better he or she will wear them. Family eye doctors who specialize in children's vision, like Dr. Linda Chous, Glasses Menagerie in Uptown Minneapolis, know that glasses are all the rage. And, with the new contact lens choices, pre teens and teens are often choosing to wear contacts.

There are several factors to consider when purchasing prescription glasses for kids, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA):

Lenses: choose the appropriate lenses for the prescription, such as polycarbonate, which have the most impact resistance and are lighter weight than most plastic lenses. Avoid glass.
Size and fit: The frame must have a comfortable temple length and bridge size. A special (non-slipable silicon) nosepad sling may be needed to keep the frame in place on the nose. The temple may have a flexible cable that wraps around the ear to keep the frame in place.
Material: The best choices are quality metals, such as titanium, nickel-free metal alloys, silver Monel or stainless steel.
Flexibility: Spring hinges provide flexibility for safety in the event of an accident.
Strength and durability: Look for extra soldering at the bridge and temples to prevent breakage.
Eyeware case: The case should be of hard material. Encourage the child to always use the case when glasses aren't being worn.
Care and cleaning: Teach the child to clean both frame and lenses with a non-abrasive cloth and mild detergent, not paper products.

Guidelines from the AOA and other national organizations recommend the first exam by age three, then age five and every two years thereafter unless indicated sooner. Lazy eye, or amblyopia, affects two to three our of every 100 people. Its effects are preventable but it remains the leading cause of blindness of all people between the ages of 20 and 70. Strabismus is a visual defect, sometimes referred to as "crossed eyes" that do not correct over time. About four percent of all American children are affected.

From eight to twelve million children are at risk from undetected vision impairments, according to the American Foundation for Vision Awareness.

Please see your family eye doctor for further information. To locate a doctor in your area please click here.

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