Back To School And School Vision Screenings
New clothes, backpacks, pencils, notebooks and paper… what do all these things have in common? It’s time for BACK TO SCHOOL!
Each new school year brings so many exciting things to learn and new challenges for our children. And while the primary focus is on all of the new school supplies, we want you to remember that your child’s eyes need attention, too.
Your Child Needs More Than A School Vision Screening
“BUT,” you say, “they will do that screening thing in school. Isn’t that good enough?” Unfortunately, no. While that screening is good in so many ways, and gives you a general idea if your child needs glasses or not, it doesn’t dig deep enough into the health and vision of your child’s eyes. It may miss certain vision problems like a lazy eye, dryness, or things like that that need to be corrected with patching, drops, or even a specialist. It may say your child doesn’t need glasses when he or she may, in fact, need glasses for certain aspects of their daily activities. And it definitely can’t determine what prescription your child needs for their glasses, should they need some.
Tips To Keep Your Child’s Eyes Safe
Now, I’m not telling you not to do the screening. PLEASE, allow your child to take part in it. BUT, don’t substitute it for a full health exam with your child’s pediatrician, and a full eye exam with us. In addition, there are a few other things you can do to make sure your child is ready for a great academic year:
- If your child plays sports, make sure they have ANSI approved safety sports glasses. These glasses are made to withstand the tough play of kids, and have even tougher lenses to resist impact. Even if they don’t normally wear glasses, you can never replace the gift of sight, so protecting their precious eyes should be a high priority.
- Come in regularly for adjustment on their glasses. Sometimes, a vision problem is caused because they are no longer looking out of the “sweet spot” on their glasses. (This is why we take all of those measurements when they are picking out their glasses.)
- Teach them how to take care of the glasses they have. Don’t lay them down on the lenses. Keep them in the case when they aren’t being worn. AND PLEASE, clean them regularly. Dirty lenses block their vision, and aren’t much help.
- Remind them not to put their fingers in their eyes, or rub their eyes if something gets in them. Tell them to close their eye, find an adult, and get to an eye doctor. Also, wash their hands regularly and keep them out of their eyes to avoid infection.
- Call us today to schedule an appointment at (205) 625-5544. We look forward to seeing you and serving all of your family’s vision needs!