Pediatric Eye Exams vs. School Vision Screenings

As a parent, you want your little one to perform well in school. One of the best ways to help your child succeed in and out of the classroom is by ensuring that their eyes are healthy, and their vision is good. Every child should have a comprehensive eye examination prior to entering Kindergarten.


When was the last time you had your child’s eyes and vision checked? Do you know their visual acuity?

 

How Vision Can Affect a Child’s Ability to Learn and Development

Who remembers the Cincinnati Bengals rookie who learned he needed vision correction once he entered the NFL? Not all correctable conditions of the visual system are easily identified. Is your child struggling with common classroom tasks and assignments? Did such tasks pose any problems in the past? If your child is showing any unusual learning difficulties, they may be exhibiting a vision problem rather than difficulty understanding. According to experts, one in four kids deals with vision problems.

 

According to studies, 80 percent of kids’ learning happens through their vision. Thus, an undiagnosed vision/eye problem can lead to learning difficulties. This is so even if your child is a potential high achiever.

 

Difference Between Pediatric Eye Exams and School Vision Screenings

Early detection and correction of poor vision is key to giving all children an equal opportunity to learn and succeed socially and many experts agree that comprehensive eye exams are necessary for children by the age of three. Additionally, mild but progressive myopia might be managed if caught early and reduce the chance of myopia-related diseases later in life.

 

The only vision test many kids receive is school vision screening. Most schools rely on school nurses or volunteers who are not trained and do not have the tools to diagnose issues in their students’ vision. It’s better than nothing, but this type of screening is not enough. It cannot replace a comprehensive eye exam performed by a pediatric eye doctor.

 

School Vision Screenings

The state of Kentucky requires eye exams prior to entering school, but unfortunately, Ohio currently does not. Your little one may not know that they have a vision problem. School vision screenings are an important basic screening, but according to the American Optometric Association, the screenings may not accurately assess your child’s overall vision and eye health. The most obvious challenge is that they tend to focus mainly on a child’s distance vision.

 

Vision screenings at school aim to detect the presence of refractive errors and assess a child’s eyesight. They usually involve the measurement of distance vision to determine whether a child has myopia.

 

Unfortunately, school vision screenings usually fail to check for some of the most important vision skills kids need to succeed in school. These include eye tracking, eye focusing, eye teaming, visual perception, and hand-eye coordination.

 

Pediatric Eye Exam

Your pediatric eye doctor will accurately determine your child’s prescription during an eye exam. In addition to evaluating your little one’s vision, pediatric eye exams involve checking for eye diseases. The eye doctor will use various instruments and techniques to evaluate different aspects of your child’s vision and eye health.

 

The purpose of pediatric eye exams is to detect eye/vision problems at their earliest stage to improve treatment outcomes. A pediatric eye doctor can also help your child adapt to any vision changes. The doctor can also help you take care of you your child’s eyes. Furthermore, pediatric eye exams can provide important clues to your child’s overall health.

 

Being Able to See Does Not Equate to a Lack of Vision Problems

Kids may have good eyesight and still suffer from vision problems that negatively affect their learning and coordination skills. These include skills such as recollection, reading, and comprehension.

 

Kids grow and develop quite quickly; thus, it can be difficult to recognize changes or problems in their vision. Consequently, some vision and eye problems can remain undiagnosed, resulting in learning difficulties. Therefore, it is important to take your child for pediatric eye exams.

 

To understand the difference between school vision screenings and pediatric eye exams, visit Madeira Optical at our office in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can call (513) 561-7076 today to schedule an appointment.