About 80 percent of what a child learns through age 12 is through their eyes, which means that poor vision can prevent children from learning as much as they can in school. In fact, about one in every four children has eye impairment significant enough to affect their ability to learn. Good vision is also important to performing well academically and on the sports field. Because good vision is so important to learning and physical activity, a comprehensive eye exam is critical to every child’s success in the classroom and on the playground.
Children grow and change quickly, and their vision can change frequently too. To ensure children are up-to-date on their eye care needs, your kids should receive an eye exam every year. Some children need to see their eye doctor more often if they have specific eye problems or risk factors.
Unfortunately, many parents and educators rely on school screenings to determine if a child has a vision problem, not realizing that school screenings are quite different from professional eye examinations. School screenings typically look for signs of blurry vision or refractive error caused by nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. However, children who can see clearly and have 20/20 vision can still have a vision problem that affects how their eyes focus, track moving objects, and work together. Furthermore, the vision skills needed for reading and learning are more complex than simply focusing on words on a page or computer screen.
Benefits of Back to School Eye Exams from Your Eye Doctor at Illinois Eye Center
Vision changes often go unnoticed by children, their parents, or their teachers. Just as with any other health issue, the earlier an eye doctor detects and treats a vision problem, the more likely the treatment will be successful.
Professional eye exams help children get the treatment they need sooner. People administering school vision screenings are usually not eye doctors, so when they notice a child has an eye problem, they refer the child to an eye care professional. An eye doctor, on the other hand, can diagnose a vision problem and suggest a treatment plan immediately, during the back to school exam. Treatment for vision problems include eyeglasses, contacts lenses, and/or vision therapy.
At Illinois Eye Center, we’re offering $75 complete kindergarten eye exams. These cannot be combined with another insurance or discount program, and payment is expected the day of service. This special pricing applies only to those students requiring an exam to enter the school system at the kindergarten level or for those students entering a school district in Illinois for the first time. Contact us at (309) 243-2400 for more information about back to school eye exams. Our eye doctors are glad to check your child’s eyes to ensure they are ready to learn!