Eye spy
Filed Under Tips & Tricks | January 15, 2008
Since one in five children has a vision disorder, and how your child sees plays a vital role in their early development and learning, it’s important to start keeping an eye (sorry we couldn’t resist) on their vision when they’re still young.
The BC Association of Optometrists’ a-b-See program offers free eye tests for three to five-year-olds, as well as a website packed with info for parents, teachers and kids.
For parents there’s a handy PDF with info on warning signs for eye problems in your child. There’s also info on the ages and stages of eye development. Teachers can find lots of resources and also order complimentary a-b-See kits for preschools and child-care centres. And for kids there are online games, including one called “A Visit to the Optometrist” which will help prep them for the encounter.
And while genetics can play a role in eye health, especially for conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, amblyopia and macular degeneration, even kids with no family history of eye problems can benefit from an exam. The BC Association of Optometrists suggest kids have an exam at six months, three years, before they enter school and regularly after that.
There are no prerequisites for eye tests for kids. Your child doesn’t need to know how to read or even how to talk, since optometrists use shapes, animals and other child-friendly ways to assess their vision and eye health.
a-b-See: www.optometrists.bc.ca/content/a_b_See/71
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