Children’s Eye Health: What Every Parent Should Know

Good vision is essential for learning, reading, writing and participating in activities both inside the classroom and on the playground. Even with today’s advanced technology, many children have undiagnosed vision issues that can affect their academic performance and confidence. As a parent, it’s important to be on the lookout for warning signs that your child might need an eye exam in Riverdale, NJ.

The Importance of a Comprehensive Eye Exam

Your child’s school might offer vision screenings, but these aren’t enough to check for the full range of potential vision and eye health issues. Bear in mind that they have to get through several hundred children, sometime all in one day, or in the course of just two or three days. An optometrist does comprehensive eye exams that focus only on your child, looking for potential problems. These include nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and eye coordination problems—all of which can impact reading and learning. It’s best to also visit with your child’s eye doctor, especially since younger children may not realize or be able to properly communicate that something’s amiss with their vision.

Signs Your Child May Have Vision Issues

Being aware of these signs of potential vision problems is helpful, too. They include frequent squinting, holding books too close or unusually far away, frequent complaints of headaches or difficulty concentrating. Some children may also struggle with hand-eye coordination or avoid tasks that require visual focus. Vision issues in childhood aren’t always obvious and you may have to pay attention to subtle clues. These can manifest as crankiness, unwillingness to play games, clumsiness and more.

Screen Time and Eye Health

Your optometrist in Riverdale, NJ can also provide guidance on digital screen use, which is increasingly important with the rise of online learning and device use at school and home. Managing screen time and practicing good visual habits helps protect developing eyes.

Remember, managing your child’s well-being includes their vision in addition to their physical and emotional health. If you have any doubt as to whether your child is seeing as well as they ought to, schedule your child’s eye exam now and set them up for a lifetime of clear vision.