It's Back TO School Time ==== Time for an Eye Exam

As we get ready to head back to school many of us have a visit to the eye doctor on the list of things to do. It is no wonder that August is designated as Children's Eye Health and Safety Month. Child eye exams should be completed as part of yearly exam beginning around the age of three. Eye doctors can help your child with problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism as well as a number of other disease associated with the eye. Protective eyewear should also be worn when participating in sports or recreational activities.

August is dedicated to preventing eye injuries and vision loss as well as saving children's eyesight. One out of every 20 children ages 3 to 5 has a vision problem. About 80% of preschoolers have never had an eye screening. Children's Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month has been created to encourage parents to learn how to protect their child's eyesight and protect them from vision threats through regular eye exams. As in most physical conditions preventing and treating issues with the eye is early detection and proper treatment.

More than 12 million children in the U.S. have a visual impairment according to statistics from Health Alliance Plan. The American Optometric Association defines signs of visual impairment in young children as

• disinterest in children to read or view distant objects
• squinting or turning their head while watching T.V
• Frequent eye rubbing or blinking
• an eye that turns in or out
• double vision 
• family history of vision health issues

Older children have the ability to share what they do or do not see as well as how they feel, yet issues still arise Parents or guardians should still observe eye problem symptoms in older school age kids as well. Some of these signs include:

• lack of comprehension or poor efficiency when performing school work
• issues of discomfort, fatigue, or hyperactive / distracted behavior
• reading books and other reading materials while holding them close to the face
• difficulty with reading comprehension or losing their place while reading

Eye Injuries are also a leading cause of blindness in American children. Every 13 minutes a U.S. emergency room will be visited because of a sports related eye injury. Children between the ages of 11 to 14 are most affected by sports injuries Sports with highest number of eye injuries are baseball, softball, ice hockey, racquet sports and basketball. Each year there is an average of 42,000 sports related eye injuries in the U.S. 

Children's vision health should be a priority to Parents. It should also be a priority to those of us who like to share with others what is going on. Bringing awareness to children's vision health is important to me. 

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