Back to school with focus

ONE IN FOUR SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN HAS AN UNDETECTED VISION PROBLEM

While most parents go shopping for new school supplies and new clothes for their children, many are missing an essential item on their back-to-school checklist – booking a comprehensive eye exam for their children.

Only 14 per cent of children going into grade one have had an eye exam according to the Canadian Association of Optometrists, and yet one in four school-aged children has a vision problem [1]. This is a harrowing fact when you keep in mind that 80 per cent of a child’s learning is based on vision [2].

“What’s worrying is that most Canadian parents mistakenly believe they would know if their child was having difficulty with their vision,” says B.C. Doctor of Optometry, Dr. Stephen Taylor. “The truth is that most vision problems have no easy-to-detect symptoms, and children, not knowing any better, don’t realize that they see the world differently than others. You cannot tell if your child has a vision impediment by simply asking them ‘Can you see that?’”

Undiagnosed vision problems can have a significant impact on a child’s learning and development, preventing them from reaching their full potential. Vision problems are often mistaken for other developmental problems like dyslexia or ADHD.

Just ask Renee Parker [3]. When her son Edward started school, he had difficulty learning the alphabet and focusing in the classroom as well as on the playground. Edward was misdiagnosed with ADD. “They thought he wasn’t paying enough attention when he was trying to read,” says Renee. “I was told to put him on Ritalin.”

It wasn’t until a trip to a B.C. Doctor of Optometry that Edward got back on track. It turned out that Edward had 20/20 vision but had a neuromuscular problem that caused him to have trouble keeping both eyes moving together. This resulted in double vision. After receiving six weeks of vision therapy, Edward made significant improvements – both at school and on the playground.

ANNUAL CHECK-UPS ARE ESSENTIAL

A change in vision can occur without you or your child realizing, so it is essential to have your child’s eyes examined each year. B.C. Doctors of Optometry recommend children have their first eye exam between six and nine months old, again between two and five years old, and annually after that [2]. Treatment for vision problems can range from a simple pair of glasses to more formal vision therapy, or in extreme cases, surgery. “It’s important to have an annual checkup to ensure the eyes are healthy and vision is developing properly. It’s also a chance to reinforce healthy eye habits that will serve them well later in life,” says Dr. Taylor. “Children with healthy visual skills have the opportunity to fully experience everything that life and school have to offer.”

A referral is not required to see an optometrist for either acute or preventative eye care. Eye exams are a benefit of MSP for children in British Columbia up to the age of 18.

VISION SCREENING IS NOT ENOUGH

Additional cause for concern – many school vision screening programs are inadequate and have a high rate of error. In fact, the referral rate from school screenings programs is approximately one in eight, which means that at least 50 per cent of kids are not receiving the help they need [4].

Unlike an optometric eye exam, screenings do not test for common vision conditions or assess eye health. A comprehensive eye exam can detect a variety of issues that vision screenings can’t, including a review of your child’s health and vision history and tests for nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, colour perception, lazy eye, crossed-eyes, eye co-ordination, depth perception and focus ability [5].

Don’t confuse a sight test for an eye exam. A sight test, usually offered by an optical store, school vision screening program, or even family doctor, tests only for corrected vision, and is not performed by a licensed professional. An eye exam is performed by a Doctor of Optometry who uses specialized equipment to look at the entire eye health and visual system [6].

Establishing healthy eyes is just as important as a hearing test or a regular doctor’s checkup, and is critical to a child’s learning and development. The good news is that if diagnosed early, many vision problems can be prevented or improved. Talk to your optometrist or visit

bc.doctorsofoptometry.ca to book an appointment for an exam. No studying required!

“DON’T CONFUSE A SIGHT TEST FOR AN EYE EXAM.”