As parents, we want to make sure that our child is getting the absolute best care possible in every way and can excel in all activities, especially school. Vision is highly important for children to focus on the things they're involved in or their schoolwork, so it's essential that their eyes are completely checked for all issues, minor or major. And while you may be thinking that the school screening your child receives at school should suffices and be the extent of what you need to know, it might not be the full coverage you need to make sure your kid isn't struggling in daily tasks.

 

School Vision Screenings

While it is extremely helpful that your child's school provides a vision screening, it doesn't cover everything that a full optometrist appointment examines. And you may think that the only thing to take care of is vision distance for your child when it comes to eye care. The school screening should really serve as a starting point for your child's journey into eye care and receiving the right fit in aid to function at their expected level.

School screenings only cover vision sharpness and eyesight. And while this may seem like the epitome of what should be questioned and answered in an eye exam, what's missing is the next step of further testing or corrective treatment or procedures or medical attention that comes when something comes up as concerning or wrong in a screening.
 

Vision Problems to Look For

You may want to hold off on what the school says they find in their vision screening for your child, it may not be enough of an indicator, or correct for that matter. Here are some signs of vision difficulty that your child could be going through that you need to take note of:
 

• Struggling with learning in class, or behind in the normal reading age at school

• Shortsightedness: only being able to see near, nearsighted, difficulty seeing far

• Long-sightedness: only being able to see far, farsighted, difficulty seeing near

• Eye rubbing and constant blinking

• Difficulty with visual tracking/following something with their eyes

• Difficulty seeing the board, or sitting too close to the TV

• Redness, watery eyes, or light sensitivity

• Itchiness, pain, or discomfort in the eyes
   

Why It's Important to See the Optometrist

Don't get us wrong, it's certainly a great help from the school for taking that initial step in checking your child's eyes. You should only accept it as merely the first step in receiving personalized eye care that suits your child's needs, which is why you should head to the optometrist. Your child needs to be equipped to perform well in school, and without proper eye care, they will struggle, lose interests, and fall behind academically.

See a medical professional, they can cover as much as the following:
 

• Comprehensive review

• Colour, binocular, extraoculur, neurological confrontation, and eye pressure testing

• Visual acuity, pupillary, and objective and subjective measurements

• Dilating

• Microscopic examination of the front and back part of the eye

•  An an overall assessment and plan

Looking at this list, is there any reason to see why you shouldn't cover your bases and get your child a full check up? An optometrist or ophthalmologist will be able to fully examine all aspects of your child's eyes and vision and give you a full evaluation, assessment, and plan that's tailored to work for them.
 

Bring Your Kids to NVISION Eyecare

This may be the right time to bring the whole family in to NVISION Eyecare for everyone to get their eyes checked! Our practice is family friendly and cares for both adults and children, and we have specialised optometrists that will take care of your child every step of the way. If you're interested in making an appointment, you can contact us here. NVISION Eyecare is happy to help you with all your questions and concerns regarding the best eye care and treatment for your child.
 

Resources

• “Your Child's Vision (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth.” Edited by Jonathan H. Salvin, KidsHealth, The Nemours Foundation, June 2014, kidshealth.org/en/parents/vision.html.

• “Warning Signs of Vision Problems in Infants & Children.” HealthyChildren.org, www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/eyes/Pages/Warning-Signs-of-Vison-Problems-in-Children.aspx.

• Bedinghaus, Troy. “Learn What Your Child Does During a Vision Screening at School.” Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 1 June 2019, www.verywellhealth.com/school-vision-screenings-3421597.

• Heiting, Gary. “Why Back to School Eye Exams Are So Important.” All About Vision, www.allaboutvision.com/eye-exam/children.htm.

• Anderson, Mali. “Eye Exams and Vision Screening for Kids.” Parents, www.parents.com/health/eyes/eye-exams-for-kids/.