MarVal Optical located in Bethlehem, PA 18015

MarVal Optical

83 W. Broad St.

Bethlehem, PA 18018

610-419-6626

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Your Child's Eyes: Don't Settle for 20/20

by Valerie Robert

 

Looking at a chart at school to check for 20/20 vision is not an eye exam. This basic check of ability to focus overlooks many other important factors that influence your child's ability to see and to be successful in school.  It is necessary to have thorough eye exams conducted by an optometrist.

When a child has vision problems, they affect school work and social skills. Sure the nurse may say your child has 20/20 vision, but the board may be blurry when they look up from reading. Or they could be experiencing more subtle vision problems that get misdiagnosed as symptoms of ADHD or behavioral problems.

The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends an eye exam every two years for school-aged children that do not need glasses, and annually for those that do.1 In addition to the eye chart test, an optometrist will check for

  • general eye health and the presence of eye disease
  • measurement of near and far vision
  • visual disorders
  • Often a child is unaware that they are not seeing "the whole picture" like leaves on trees, the color of someone's eyes, or the fine facial features of family and friends. These visual misses also interfere with developing academic and social skills.  The AOA cites studies showing that "about 25% of school-age children suffer from undiagnosed vision problems, the most prevalent disabling condition in childhood."2

    Our eyes are amazing organs that affect every part of our life. If they don't work properly life can be much more difficult than it needs to be. "20/20" from the school nurse does not mean the absence of visual problems. Help give your child the best possible chance for success in school by ensuring your child has a real eye exam.

     

    1. www.aoa.org/x5068.xml

    2. www.aoa.org/x12887.xml

     

     

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