Put an Optometry Exam on Your Child's School Supplies Checklist

You can’t pack a comprehensive eye exam in your child’s school bag, but it should be at the top of your back to school checklist. Visiting an optometrist for eye assessments not only ensures proper eye development, but the exam also gives your student their best chance at excelling in school. We at Epic Vision Eye Centers in Kansa and Missouri are sharing the importance of annual optometry exams for students.

Why Should My Child See the Optometrist Yearly?

Your child is in a highly developmental stage in grade school, and a lot can change in a year. Conditions like nearsightedness can develop as early as six years old and worsen quickly from 11 to 13. Annual exams give you a chance to catch and correct any visual complications sooner rather than later.

While your child may receive screenings at the pediatrician or school, these assessments only reveal about 4% of the information given at the eye doctor and about 75% of conditions go unnoticed.

The tools used at the optometrist provide in-depth information about these common conditions:

Myopia – nearsightedness, or issues seeing objects at a distance

Hyperopia – farsightedness, or difficulty seeing objects up close

Amblyopia – “lazy eye,” one eye is weaker than the other

Strabismus – “crossed eye”

Astigmatism – the cornea or lens has an irregular curve which affects how light is focused by the eye and often causes blurry vision at any distance

How Do Optometry Exams Help My Student Academically?

Whether it’s looking at the whiteboard or reading a textbook, your student relies on his or her sight. Visual disorders can cause headaches, eye strain, and blurry vision, which leads to trouble focusing, frustration with school, and difficulty completing assignments.

Your eye doctor will be able to identify the problem and offer treatment options like glasses, eye patches, and alternative seating in class to better meet your child’s needs.

Schedule a Back to School Eye Exam with an Optometrist at Epic Vision Eye Centers in Kansa and Missouri 

Set your student up for success by making sure his or her vision is 20/20 with the help of the eye doctors at our offices. Book your appointment today!