by Dr. Florence Fernet Leclair, Central Saanich Optometry –
It’s that time of the year again! Summer is waning and it’s the occasion to prepare your child for the upcoming school year. A typical back to school list usually includes items such as new school supplies and new clothes, but an essential item on that list often gets overlooked: a Comprehensive Eye Examination by a Doctor of Optometry.
61% of Canadian parents mistakenly feel they would know if their child was struggling with their vision. What’s more, a child with a visual problem will assume that what they are seeing is normal. Only 14% of Canadian children under the age of six have had an eye exam, yet eyes may be children’s most important learning tool!
In fact, 25% of children have a vision-related learning difficulty. They face academic, social and athletic barriers in life. Because 80% of all learning during the first 12 years is visually based, children can have a tough time catching up after struggling with the basics of reading and writing. Often, undiagnosed vision problems can cause the reversal of words when writing or copying, skipping or re-reading of lines in a text. Innumerable children in Canada are diagnosed every day with a learning disability when a contributing factor was likely their vision.
43% of children with vision problems can pass a vision screening test. Even if your child has 20/20 vision, they may still require a comprehensive eye exam. The skills needed for successful learning encompass much more than 20/20 vision, which only refers to a child’s ability to see clearly in the distance. A comprehensive eye exam looks at more than just sight: it looks at all aspects of a child’s vision function, including how well the eyes focus up close, how well they team up and the overall health of the eyes.
29% of Canadian children aged 11 to 13 need glasses because of myopia (or nearsightedness). This condition occurs when the eyeball doesn’t get enough light and elongates, causing far away objects to appear out of focus. Rates of myopia are increasing globally at an alarming rate and are predicted to affect 50% of the world population by 2050. We know that uncorrected myopia can have an impact on a child’s schooling and lifestyle. What’s not common knowledge is that higher prescriptions of nearsightedness are associated with eye-health related complications that can lead to future vision loss. This is due to that fact that the retina is a thin layer, like wallpaper, that covers the back of the eye and may tear if stretched too far. This is the case in a retinal detachment. The good news is that treatments to slow down the growth of the eye in those who already wear glasses are available! They can include specialized glasses, contact lenses or even medicated eyedrops. These treatments work best in childhood when the eyes are still in their growing phase.
That is why the Canadian Association of Optometry recommends bringing your school-age child for a comprehensive eye exam every year. At Central Saanich Optometry, Comprehensive Eye Examinations are covered yearly for children under the age of 19. Early detection is essential to provide the best opportunity to correct vision problems, and ultimately helping children succeed in life.
Book your child’s eye exam today!
