80% of learning happens through vision. Let that sink in. It is more common than you think to mistake vision problems for learning problems (Psst… It’s 40%). In the chaos of the weeks before back-to-school, it’s a good idea to make sure your kids will get the most out of the coming school year. Let’s bust some of the most common excuses why parents wait too long to get their kids eyes checked.

But my kid passed the school vision screening

School vision screenings are usually done every 3-5 years and only check for clear distance vision not that Jr’s eyes are working well as a team or that his eyes are healthy. An optometrist checks the overall health of the eye annually as well as treat and manage issues that pop up.

But my child can see (insert far away object, e.g. the board at school or a plane in the sky)

Seeing well far away isn’t the same as having good vision. Many children are farsighted (see well at distance) in their formative years. However, that doesn’t mean that they can focus on the words in a book which can cause headaches if they are working too hard to focus. Or that their eyes are working well as a team. 

But my child doesn’t complain about her site

A kid that has never seen clear images her entire life is very unlikely to know that they have blurry vision. In addition, with the increased use of electronic devises at school and at home, it is becoming less likely that anyone can focus for hours on a screen without fatigue or headaches.

But vision issues don’t happen in my family until later in life

Sure grandma didn’t get macular degeneration or cataracts until she was in her 60s and your diabetic eye disease happened in your 40s but the bottom line is these things run in the family. Because of your child’s crystal clear natural lenses, sunglasses are more important now than ever.

82% of UV damage will happen before your little one is 20 years old. UV rays can cause cancer on the delicate skin of the lid, cataracts and retinal damage. It is imperative to the future health of your kids to begin preventing these things as early as possible. 

But my kid is only 6 years old

Ideally by age 6, your child should have already had 4 eye exams. The first at 6 months old to check the overall development and health of their eyes. Another at 3,  at 5 before the first day of school, and then every year after that. Even though babies are too young to read letters or shapes, we still have the ability to get all the info we need. I call it Opto-Magic!

It is more important than ever that their eyes be checked annually to make sure they have healthy eyes for life! We went to school for a long time so that we can take care of your family. Trust the experts and let us do just that!