Remember Eye Exams for Kids

As the summer winds down and we get ready for the kids to go back to school let’s remember the importance of eye exams to make sure they have a solid eye health and vision foundation from which to begin school year. Children use their eyes and vision as critical tools in their learning process, especially when we consider the demanding visual environment and vision related tasks in the classroom as they read and write, use computers and tablets, but also for sports and recreation.

Importance of Regular Eye Exams for Children

Regular eye exams are important to detect changes to children’s vision or any eye problems that might hinder their overall well being and academic performance. The most frequent eye problems we find in school age kids are the common vision problems of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Sometimes, not having clear vision in the classroom can lead to the undeserved perception of a behavioral problem or attention problem.

 

Dr. Louis Furlan
Pediatric Ophthalmologist

Potential Signs & Symptoms of Children’s Vision Problems

·  Frequent eye rubbing or blinking

·  Short attention span

·  Avoiding reading and other close activities

·  Frequent headaches

·  Covering one eye

·  Tilting the head to one eye

·  Holding reading materials close to the face

·  An eye turning in or out

·  Seeing double

·  Losing place when reading

·  Difficulty remembering what he or she read

If your notice your child exhibiting any of these behaviors please let us know so that we can evaluate their significance, if any. Your child should have an eye exam at least once every two years and even more frequently if specific problems or risk factors exist, or if we find the need to address specific eye condition, problems of issues. As you know, the earlier we detect and address children’s vision problems, the better is the chance we will be successful in treatment.

If you or someone you know has a question or needs to schedule a children’s eye exam, please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.