With a large number of states beginning the school year earlier, August is the new September! Along with school supply shopping and purchasing those back-to-school clothing items, Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation (NBCF) wants you to make sure to include an eye examination as part of your back to school check list!

Vision plays an important role in a child’s physical, mental, and social development. Uncorrected vision problems can impair child development, interfere with learning and even lead to permanent vision loss. Early detection and treatment of eye problems are critical. The following information can help make sure your child will see well to learn and grow before starting the school year:

1. Know the eye exam or vision requirements for school-aged children in your state (http://www.preventblindness.org/school-requirements-childrens-vision)
2. Be aware of vision issues. There are some specific warning signs that may indicate that your child has a vision problem including:

• Wandering or crossed eyes
• A family history of childhood vision problems
• Disinterest in reading or viewing distant objects
• Squinting, rubbing eyes, or turning the head in an unusual manner while watching television

3. Keeping your children’s eyes safe is another part of maintaining healthy vision. Eye injuries are the leading cause of vision loss in children. There are about 42,000 sports-related eye injuries every year in America, and children suffer most of these injuries. Help prevent your child from being one of the more than 12 million children who suffer from vision impairment by remembering a few basic rules of safety:

• All children should wear protective eyewear while participating in sports or recreational activities
• Purchase age-appropriate toys for your children and avoid toys with sharp or protruding parts

4. Learn about safety eyewear for your child’s sports activities. For all age groups, sports-related eye injuries occur most frequently in water sports, basketball, and baseball/softball. The good news is that almost all of these injuries can be prevented. (http://www.preventblindness.org/sports-eye-safety)
5. Read the guidelines for children’s vision health – Prevent Blindness recommends a continuum of eye care for children to include both vision screening and comprehensive eye examinations. All children, even those with no signs of trouble, should have their eyes checked at regular intervals. Any child who experiences vision problems or shows symptoms of eye trouble should receive a comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. (http://www.preventblindness.org/guidelines-childrens-vision-health)

 

Help your children have a successful school year by scheduling a comprehensive eye exam and taking safety measures to ensure their eyes are free from injury. If you need assistance finding a licensed eye care specialist in the Las Vegas area, click here.