See To Learn is a program where all 3-year-old children can have a free eye exam at specific doctors. Check on www.seetolearn.com to see doctors in your area!
Educate yourself on children’s vision issues
What is the difference between an eye exam and a vision assessment? Isn’t the school’s vision testing enough?
If a child has had a vision screening from a pediatrician or at preschool, you may be wondering why additional testing is needed. It is important not to confuse a simple vision screening with an optometrist-performed vision assessment.
Vision screenings are not designed to diagnose eye or vision problems. They are designed as a tool to identify children who may need further testing — and some studies estimate that they miss as many as 60 percent of those cases.
What is hyperopia (farsightedness)?
People who are farsighted see distant objects more clearly than those up close. Farsightedness occurs when the eyeball is too short or the cornea lacks adequate curvature.
For many children with hyperopia, their eyes are able to compensate and no treatment is needed. In more severe cases, corrective lenses may be recommended.
Common signs of hyperopia:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Eye strain
- Fatigue and/or headaches after working with objects up close
- Aching or burning eyes
- Anxiety after sustained concentration
What is myopia (nearsightedness)?
Myopia is a vision condition in which nearby objects are seen more clearly than those farther away, a result of the eye structure being too long or the cornea being too curved. Nearly 30 percent of the U.S. population has myopia, which usually manifests in school-age children. Myopia can be inherited, but can also develop after repeated periods of visual stress.
Most children with nearsightedness are prescribed eyeglasses. Older children and teens may be candidates for contact lenses, and adults can explore corrective refractory surgery.
Common signs of myopia:
- Persistent squinting at faraway objects
- Excessive blinking and eye rubbing
- Headaches after periods of focusing
- Requests to sit closer to blackboards at school or TV screens at home
- Unawareness of distant surroundings
What is amblyopia (lazy eye)?
Amblyopia refers to a lack of central vision in one eye that is not caused by other eye health issues. It usually appears before age six and often occurs in those who have a large difference between the degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness between the two eyes.
Symptoms in children can be heavily favoring one eye or frequently bumping into things on one side of their field of vision. Treatment usually includes a combination of corrective and prism lenses, vision therapy, or patching of the dominant eye.
A lazy eye, which can cause permanent vision loss, will not correct itself with time. Early intervention drastically increases the chance of complete recovery.