Poor Vision and The Lifelong Consequences that Come From It
Disruption in the classroom is often attributed to behavior problems or poor parenting, but it may actually stem from the inability to see the blackboard (or whiteboard). An article by NBC News notes that poor vision is one of the five primary reasons why kids drop out of school.
The American Academy of Pediatrics names vision disorders as the fourth most common disability among children. Yet, many children aren’t adequately being screened for vision problems. The basic Snellen eye exam (you know, can you see the big ‘E’?) just isn’t enough for some children. Sadly, that is how most pediatricians test vision. And most parents do not take their child to the eye doctor unless a problem is suspected. So how does a parent know if their child has a vision problem? By being proactive.
Vision screenings should begin before a child begins school. When diagnosed early, the chances of recovering from an eye disease or ailment increase drastically. Eye problems such as strabismus and amblyopia require early intervention for the greatest success. More common eye conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can be missed if you don’t know what to look for.
At Rainbow Pediatrics we use the Spot Vision Testing camera. With Spot, we can begin testing babies as young as six months of age. Spot is able to detect common problems, such as nearsightedness as well as those that are less common, such as eye misalignment (amblyopia) and eye structure problems.
The school year may be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be planning for the summer and year ahead. Vision is a significant part of development. If your child’s vision isn’t functioning properly, let’s get a head start on remedying it. Schedule your child’s well visit with our office today or schedule an appointment with a pediatric ophthalmologist or optometrist. The InfantSEE public health program provides comprehensive eye assessments for babies between 6 and 12 months of age at no cost. Click here to learn more.
