Does Your Back-To-School Check List Include An Eye Screening?

Vision Problems Often Misdiagnosed or Left Untreated

Many kids and parents look forward to back-to-school shopping.  There’s the new backpack, new pens and new pencils. Yet in the craziness of heading back to the classroom, the all important eye screening is often overlooked.

“Of the children screened, 95-percent have normal exams,” says Davis Duehr Dean Pediatric Ophthalmologist Mansoor Movaghar, MD.  “But it is important that we identify the children who might have issues before school starts.”

Poor vision can interfere with learning and overall school performance.  It can impact a child’s participation in sports and other activities.  As a result, some of these children who suffer from vision problems are frequently misdiagnosed with learning disabilities.

“Many conditions such as lazy eye or misalignment of the eyes can be treated successfully if detected early, but the only way parents know for sure is to get their child screened,” says Dr. Movaghar.

It is recommended that children be screened by an eye care provider, a primary care physician or through a community based vision screening program prior to entering kindergarten and every two years through the age of 18 to detect potential problems. If your child requires glasses or contacts, the child should be seen every 12 months, since prescriptions frequently change as vision matures.

If you or your child’s teacher notices any of the following, his or her vision may need correction:

• Sitting too close to the TV or holding a book too close
• Squinting
• Tilting head to see better
• Frequent eye rubbing
• Sensitivity to light
• Excessive tearing
• Closing one eye to read, watch TV or see better
• Complaining of headaches or tired eyes