Throughout the month of June, we have increased our focus on the importance of child eye screenings and exams. Detecting vision challenges is critical at an early age because children can sometimes have vision problems and have no idea that they are seeing anything different than the other kids. Simply put, children often don’t know what they don’t know. They may not know why the board is blurry or may assume it is blurry for everyone, and as a result, parents and caregivers may not know either. This is why it is so important to make sure your children have yearly eye exams.
Nearly 7% of children in America are diagnosed with eye and vision conditions, and the number of visually impaired children under the age of 18 is 3%. Further, as children increase their use of electronic devices, the rate of eye strain increases dramatically.
So, what signs should you look for with your child?
Many vision problems are potentially identified through squinting, headaches, eye pain, eye redness and constant rubbing of the eyes. If you notice any of these issues, schedule your child for a professional vision exam. Even if you don’t notice these issues, take a proactive approach to eye care and set that appointment to see an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Kids may not let anyone know they are experiencing vision difficulties, and problems can linger unnecessarily. Healthy eyes help set up children for success, so make that appointment today!
And, in the meantime, enjoy a few fun vision facts…
- The eye muscles are the most active in the body.
- People with a longer-than-normal eyeball are nearsighted.
- 10,000 million colors can be detected by the human eye.
- A bifocal lens was developed by Benjamin Franklin in 1780.
- The first visual chart for eye tests was introduced in 1862.