Did you know that 80 percent of learning is closely tied to vision? As your kids prepare for the new school year, it’s a great time to schedule an eye exam. Dr. Alia Cappellani, a Calgary-based optometrist, shares tips on supporting your child’s eye health.
Annual eye exams matter
Children should receive their first eye exam between six to nine months old, and another before Kindergarten. Once your child starts school, optometrists recommend they get their eyes checked every year. Children’s eyes can change quickly, and optometrists do more than check for 20/20 vision. They also look at eye health and important skills for reading and learning, like eye coordination, focusing, and tracking.
Without a comprehensive eye exam from an optometrist, many vision issues can go unnoticed, or may even be mistaken for learning disabilities or behavioral problems. According to Dr. Cappellani, “Children with a vision issue may not know there’s something wrong. They may think how they see is normal.”
These are some signs parents can look for in their child:
How optometrists can help
Optometrists play a crucial role in managing your child’s vision health. If there is a problem, they can identify it early and recommend effective treatments. For example, glasses or contact lenses can correct a vision problem and relieve stress on the eyes. For conditions such as poor eye coordination or lazy eye, vision therapy is an option that will reinforce or re-teach vision and perceptual skills.
Myopia (nearsightedness) is becoming more common, especially with increased screen time. Optometrists can work with parents to help slow its progression while your child grows. Treatments include glasses and soft contact lenses with special myopia control designs, Ortho-Keratology (Ortho-K) contact lenses that temporarily reshape the eye overnight, or atropine eye drops.
Dr. Cappellani explains, “By encouraging healthy development, these methods not only help correct vision but also reduce the risk of more severe vision problems in the future.”
Healthy eyes year-round
Maintaining good eye health goes beyond annual check-ups. Dr. Cappellani offers parents valuable advice during their children’s exams.
First, limit recreational screen time and encourage regular breaks using the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. “Excessive screen time can reduce our blink rates from 10 to 15 blinks to just three to five blinks per minute, leading to dry, tired eyes,” she notes.
Find a good balance between schoolwork and other pastimes. Encourage at least two hours of outdoor play daily to help prevent the onset of nearsightedness and give their eyes a break from close-up work. Ensure their study area is well-lit to reduce eye strain and promote a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables to support overall eye health.
Finally, to manage dry eye throughout the spring and fall allergy seasons and dry Alberta winters, ensure your child stays hydrated and consider using a humidifier at home. If issues persist, talk to your optometrist about treatments for dry eye.
By following these tips and scheduling regular eye exams, you can help ensure your child’s vision remains sharp and ready for learning year-round.
For more information about your family vision and eye health care, visit optometrists.ab.ca.
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