Children's Vision Crisis

80% OF LEARNING IS THROUGH OUR VISION, THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF OPTOMETRISTS RECOMMENDS THAT ALL CHILDREN BE EXAMINED ON OR BEFORE THE AGE OF 3 AND ANNUALLY THERE AFTER.

Annual eye examinations for children are an insured service through Alberta Health Care.

Millions of children stumble through school and their key developmental years with vision problems. Are we missing them? How can we save them?

Proper vision is important in a child's development. Children are often unaware of a problem because they feel everyone sees as they do-even if it is "wrong. Our children's vision can be permanently damaged if we do not detect or correct the problem at an early age. It is our responsibility as a parent to ensure that our children's eyes are healthy.

Much of what we learn comes to us through our sight. Vision plays a leading role in the development of every child. It is important to have your child's eyes examined as early as possible to ensure the eyes are developing normally and, if not, to take the necessary action needed. Regular vision care, beginning at an early age, before age 3 is crucial to your child's ability to learn and develop. Your optometrist can examine a baby before he or she is old enough to speak or recite the alphabet!

Some visual problems assessed include:

• Crossed-eyes (strabismus), which means that the eye muscles point one or both eyes in the wrong direction.

• Lazy eye (amblyopia), which can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated early enough. This condition results when the vision in one eye is weaker than the other, and the child ignores the weak eye and uses only the strong one. If left untreated, the child's brain develops a clear picture in the good eye and a blurry picture in the weak eye.

Other vision problems, which can plague a child, include:

• Nearsightedness (myopia)- near objects are focused more clearly then those faraway.
• Farsightedness (hyperopia)- objects far away are focused more clearly than those nearby.
• Astigmatism- objects at all distances are blurred because of the shape of the cornea.

Be on the lookout for symptoms of vision problems, such as: frequent rubbing of the eyes; squinting or frowning ; blinking more than usual; tilting or turning the head to us'e one eye only; headaches; avoiding close work, such as reading. Your optometrist can also advise you on specific ways to help your baby or child's eyes develop. Public health and school screening do not take the place of a complete eye examination with an optometrist. Please insure your children's window to life and opportunity is not permanently. Should you have any questions or concerns, or would like to book an appointment please feel free to contact us phone: 283.6636 or fax: :283-6633 or e-mail us at dr_monea@hotmail.com

The information provided in this article and elsewhere on this website are for informational purposes only, and should NOT be considered a medical diagnosis or advice. When in doubt, please visit your local optometrist for a complete professional evaluation.