Can your child see to learn? 20% can't!
CAN YOUR CHILD SEE TO LEARN? 20% CAN’T.
As you are shopping for school supplies and clothes, remember your child’s eyes are an important part of preparing for the upcoming school year.
The American Public Health Association adopted a resolution that recognizes the shortcomings of pediatrician vision screenings, encourages regular eye examinations at the ages of 6 months, 2 years, and 4 years, and urges pediatricians to recommend that all children receive eye examinations at these intervals.
- Former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter have pledged their support for the INFANTSEE program for a very important, personal reason: They have two grandchildren with amblyopia (“lazy eye”). For one grandchild, the condition went undetected until he was well into grade school, when classroom difficulties made the condition apparent. Had his condition been found sooner, he could have been treated with far less effort and would have found academic success sooner.
Another little boy, Riley, never liked to read. Even though Riley liked watching television, his mother wondered why her son didn’t read as much as his older sister. It bothered her enough that she took Riley to see an eye doctor. She discovered Riley couldn’t see well enough to read up close and needed corrective eyewear.
Unfortunately, Riley’s problem is not uncommon. In fact, more than 20 percent of children entering kindergarten each year have vision problems- and this number increases to more than 30 percent by the time those children graduate from high school.
Without early detection and treatment, many of these vision problems affect learning, because more than 80 percent of learning is done visually.
The American Optometric Association encourages parents to include a trip to the optometrist in the list of well-baby check-ups. Assessments at six to twelve months of age can determine healthy development of vision. Early detection of eye conditions is the best way to ensure your child has healthy vision for successful development—now and in the future.
Through organizations such as SEE TO LEARN and INFANTSEE, optometrists provide free, in-office vision assessments for all children in their communities, regardless of their parent’s insurance coverage or ability to pay.
For more information visit www.infantsee.org or www.seetolearn.com Dr. Mayes provides free vision screenings on all children 6 months to school age. These screenings are not comprehensive eye examinations, but they can catch learning related vision problems. This provides an opportunity to discuss treatment options and schedule a complete exam if necessary.
Call Eye Care Oklahoma at 799-7510 to schedule a free vision screening for your child before they go back to school this year.
