The importance of a child’s eyesight cannot be understated. Vision is essential to learning. It is said that roughly 80 per cent of learning occurs through the eyes. Children should have their first eye exam at six months of age.
Even though a child is unable to talk at this age, optometrists can use different methods and tools to determine if a child’s eyes are developing as they should, if their eye movement ability is adequate, as well as if the child suffers from any significant eye health problems. They can also measure the refractive error, or power of the eyes, to determine if the child may need glasses at an early age.
Children are typically born with some amount of far-sightedness (trouble seeing at near), which is normal. As they grow, their eyes are also changing and growing; thus, the second complete eye exam should be completed by three years of age. At this age, the potential for eye muscle problems such as cross-eyes (strabismus) and lazy-eye (amblyopia) can be more carefully evaluated. Children should then be examined every year while they are in school. Alberta Health Care understands the importance of early detection, and covers eye exams for children up until 18 years of age.
The Alberta Association of Optometrists has developed a program entitled “Eye See… Eye Learn®,” that was designed to ensure eye health or vision problems was not interfering with a child’s ability to learn. The program encourages parents of students in Kindergarten to obtain comprehensive eye examinations for their children from an eye doctor. Due to the generous donation of industry sponsors, Kindergarten children can receive a free pair of eyeglasses if prescribed by their eye doctor. Each fall, information packages are sent home with Kindergarten children across the province.
School-aged children have significant visual demands. During the day in the classroom, they are constantly using their vision. Parents often wonder how much time a child should be spending in front of the TV, on the computer or playing their favorite video game. Frequent breaks are important. During times when a child is engaging in a visual activity, the focusing system inside the eye is actively working. Taking a break and looking at something far away allows this system to relax. Children should limit their TV and computer time to no more than one to two hours per day.
Parents have also recently become concerned about the effect of 3-D video games on the visual system. There is no proven scientific data that suggest these forms of entertainment harm the developing visual system. However, there are valid reasons that time spent playing video games should be limited, so parents should use their best judgment when it comes to these devices. In some instances, 3-D entertainment can actually help detect certain eye coordination problems. In order to appreciate 3-D movies and games, both eyes must be used together as a team. If a child is unable to perceive the 3-D depth effect, it may be an indication that the two eyes are not working together as they should, and an eye examination is warranted.
Early detection and prevention are key factors in helping a child to reach their maximum visual potential. Visit a local eye doctor today to have your child’s eyes examined.
Dr. Ruhee Dhalla is an optometrist in the Calgary area, specializing in paediatrics. For more information, call Foresight Eyecare at 403-226-8881 or visit www.foresighteyecare.com.
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