How to look after your children’s vision WARNING SIGNS
Good vision is crucial for helping kids learn, says Nova Scotian optometrist
If eyes are the windows to the soul, we should be doing all we can to protect them, especially those of our children. According to Dr. Krista Flynn, an optometrist and owner of Valley Family Optometry in New Minas and Kingston with her optometrist husband, Dr. Brett Kinney, children should have a comprehensive eye exam by the time they are three years old.
After that initial appointment, children should continue to have appointments either every two years or yearly after that, depending on what is found, said Flynn. In some cases, they monitor children every three to six months if they are having any problems with their vision that warrant doing so.
It is even possible to examine young children and babies after age six months to rule out any significant vision issues, she added.
A young child’s eye exam looks much different than an adult eye exam and, usually, it’s a lot more fun, explained Flynn. The eye doctor does not need to rely on the child’s answers during the eye exam to determine whether or not they may need glasses. There are a variety of tests and ways to determine whether or not a child requires glasses without them even saying a word, she continued.
“The great thing is that MSI (the Nova Scotia Health Card) covers the cost of children’s eye examinations every two years from the time they are born until their 10th birthday,” noted Flynn.
If more appointments are needed because of vision problems, then those are also covered by MSI. In fact, children (and adults) are also covered by MSI for eye exams if they have a red eye from an infection, a virus, an allergy or if they have something in their eye, says Flynn.
Optometrists are qualified to see any of these eye emergencies and can often see them on the same day when you call, she says.
CHANGES IN THE NOVA SCOTIA SCHOOL SYSTEM
Nova Scotia had an excellent vision screening program through public health for children entering the school system, noted Flynn. Vision screening was a great way to pick up vision problems that would often go undetected in young children before they start school.
Screening was never meant to replace a comprehensive eye exam, but it was a great way to identify vision problems in children entering school.
Since COVID, however, these programs have stopped in many areas.
“Since vision screening is not being done at primary registration in many areas, it is very important that parents get their children seen for a complete eye exam with an optometrist before they start school,” urged Flynn.
VISION AND LEARNING
When it comes to learning, 80 per cent is visual, said Flynn.
Children will often not recognize or complain if they have a vision problem. While a child may see well at a distance, they may have other vision issues like reduced depth perception, eye strain, colour vision difficulties or even an early asymptomatic eye disease which could be detected during a comprehensive eye exam, she noted.
Summer is a great time to get your child in for their eye exam so, in the case that they do need glasses, they have time to adjust to them and they can start their first day of school with their best vision possible. The end of August and early September is usually a busy time at most offices with back-to-school exams, so it’s best to prepare early and book your appointments sooner rather than later, Flynn suggested.
The biggest and most obvious warning sign is if your child tells you they can’t see the board at school, said Flynn.
Other signs would be if your child is struggling to read, frequently losing their place or skipping words while reading. Squinting, frequent blinking, rubbing their eyes or closing one eye can also be signs of an eye problem. Complaining of a headache or tired eyes at the end of the school day can also be a sign of a vision issue, she explained.
Children can often experience a sudden change in glasses prescription, particularly during growth spurts, noted Flynn. There can also be other possible causes for sudden vision problems that need to be ruled out and should always be investigated by their eye doctor.
“If a child is complaining of any vision change, it should never be ignored and should be checked by an eye doctor,” she said.
HOW DO WE KNOW IT IS LEGIT?
Optometrists are trained to perform a variety of tests to accurately determine whether or not a child needs glasses. Although some children may try to give false or misleading answers to get a pair of glasses, a trained optometrist is able to tell when this is occurring. They are able to determine whether the prescription is needed or not needed by tests that are performed during an eye exam and do not always need to rely on the children’s answers.
HOW TO PROTECT OUR CHILD’S VISION
The top thing any parent can do is get their children’s eyes examined routinely or more frequently if they have any particular concern, like an eye infection, injury or a sudden change in vision.
Some everyday tips to keep your children’s eye as healthy as possible:
• Protect their eyes from the sun — wear sunglasses outdoors, both winter and summer, to protect from harmful UV rays.
• Know your family history and share it with your optometrist during their eye exam so they can be aware of potential increased risk for certain eye conditions.
• Encourage outdoor time — this can help lower their risk of myopia (nearsightedness) and have other health benefits, as well.
• Limit screen time. Prolonged screen time can be harmful for your child’s eyes, causing blurry vision, focusing problems, dry eye and increasing their risk for developing myopia.
• Wear protective eyewear for high-risk activities like racquetball, squash, Nerf guns, paintball, etc.
For families in the Annapolis Valley, Valley Family Optometry is hosting UV Groovy Days this summer from July 4 to 18 in both their Kingston and New Minas locations. At this time, they will be giving away 750 pairs of sunglasses to children to help protect their eyes from the sun.
“This is always a fun event for us and we look forward to seeing many children come into our clinics to get their new sunglasses,” said Flynn.