Looking out for your children’s vision
Good sight is crucial for helping kids learn, says optometrist
If eyes are the windows to the soul, we should do 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’s 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 if they need glasses. There are a variety of tests and ways to determine whether or not a child requires glasses.
“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, 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, virus, allergy or if they have something in their eye, says Flynn.
Optometrists are qualified to see any of these eye emergencies.
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.
WARNING SIGNS
The 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 should be investigated by their eye doctor.
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. They can determine whether the prescription is 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
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 (nearsightedness).
• Wear protective eyewear for high-risk activities (like racquetball, squash, Nerf guns, paintball, etc.)