Children’s Vision
Protect Your Children’s Vision
What impact can poor eyesight have on preschoolers?
Vision is important in the development of many skills necessary for a child’s academic and social success. These include:
- Fine motor skills
- Eye-body coordination
- Visual perception
Ensuring that a preschooler has good vision will give that child a good start. Eye problems, like “lazy eye” and crossed eyes, are important to diagnose as soon as possible, preferably before 3 years of age. Treating these conditions early in a child’s life will help prevent developmental delays due to vision problems. It is also important in preventing permanent vision loss.
What impact can poor eyesight have on school-age children?
The impact of poor eyesight on a school-aged child cannot be overstated. It can directly impact the child’s ability to learn, interact with peers socially, and perform athletically. Vision plays an important role in reading and writing skills. A child with poor vision may avoid reading and writing if it becomes too difficult or frustrating.
Did you know that doctors have misdiagnosed children with ADD or ADHD when the real problem is poor eyesight? Vision problems can cause a child to have a short attention span, poor reading comprehension, and a lack of interest in reading. These are the same symptoms often associated with ADD or ADHD. An eye exam can clear up a lot of questions!
Peer interaction can be difficult when a child is dealing with vision problems. Children with vision problems may be self-conscious and withdrawn. They may actually shy away from interactions with other children or misbehave by expressing frustration in inappropriate ways.
Athletic performance greatly depends on eye-hand coordination.. When a child cannot see a ball or gauge distances, playing sports or even participating in recess time is difficult.
How often do children need an eye exam?
According to the American Optometric Association, an infant should have their first eye exam between 6 and 12 months of age. This helps detect any significant vision problems before permanent vision loss and developmental delays can occur.
The next exam should take place around age 3 to detect problems like nearsightedness and farsightedness early. It allows for correction before the child enters school. This exam also detects other vision issues that could delay development and impede learning. A third exam should be performed before the child enters first grade at age 5 or 6 to catch any problems before the child starts the formal learning process.
After this, doctors often recommend an eye exam every year or two. Having an annual eye exam will detect any vision issues before they become major problems. For kids wearing corrective lenses, an annual exam is almost mandatory due to the potential of prescription changes that can happen as the child grows.
Who should you trust to examine your child’s eyes?
Contact St. Luke Eye Institute to schedule an appointment for your child. We are infant and child eyecare and eyewear specialists serving our neighbors here in Amarillo and the surrounding Texas Panhandle. Contact us today by calling (806) 359-3937 or visit our office located at 5311 Southwest 9th Avenue in Amarillo, Texas. For questions or more information, you can use the “Contact us” form to send us an email. Don’t delay, contact us today because you shouldn’t wait to start receiving the best eye care possible for your entire family.
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St. Luke Eye Institute
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