As a teacher, I also see (no pun intended) a huge importance in this annual exam for kids. If students can't see the front of the room, or the words in the book in front of them, how can we expect them to learn? It’s true that undiagnosed vision problems can affect your child’s ability to reach their full potential. I've seen attention and behavior difficulties which ended up being the result of the fact that the poor kids couldn't see properly.
According to Doctors of Optometry Canada, 1 in 4 school-age children has a vision problem, and since 80% of learning is obtained through vision, an eye exam is vitally important for your child's education...which makes the start of the school year the perfect time to book your appointment. Check out this video from a Doctor of Optometry on vision and problems at school:
While your family doctor may perform a simple sight test, or a screening may be done at school, it's still important to have a comprehensive eye exam from a Doctor of Optometry to identify any potential problems that might exist, with vision or eye health.
It is recommended that infants have their first eye exam between six and nine months of age. Children should have at least one eye exam between the ages of two and five, and then every year after starting school. My girls will have their annual exam this week, and I’ll update this post afterwards to tell you how it went.
The Doctors of Optometry Canada websiteoffers additional information, including great tips for what to expect in terms of eye health and vision at different phases of childhood, and symptoms that may indicate a problem.
It's also important to note that you don't need a referral to book an appointment. Simply use the theFind a Doctor tool to locate a Doctor of Optometry near you.
Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Doctors of Optometry Canada, however the images and opinions are my own. For more information please visit http://doctorsofoptometry.ca/.
