Back to School: An Important Connection Between Vision and Learning

It is that time of year when the activities of summer are keeping you so busy having fun that it is easy to forget the start of a new school year is just around the corner.  While summer is a great time to relax by engaging in various recreational activities and family vacations, it is also a great time to schedule exams for your children as they are on break from the busy school year.  As such, summer is a great time to get a comprehensive eye exam for your children in order to make sure they have optimal vision to aid their ability to learn.    

The majority of all we learn is attributable to the information we are able to process from the images we see.  Recent studies confirm this strong correlation between Vision and Learning as 80% of what a child learns is presented visually.  We know that reading is enhanced when our eyes are functioning properly, and many learning difficulties can be attributed to poor vision.  Unfortunately, the statistics show that only around 31% of children from ages 6 to 16 years old have an eye exam each year.  In addition, 70% of children under the age of six years old have never had an eye exam.  As a result of these infrequent or missed eye exams, one in four children will go back to school this year with an undiagnosed vision problem that could interfere with their ability to see and learn.

I encourage every parent to give their child the best opportunity to learn this school year by ensuring they have proper visual function.  A back to school eye exam from your eye care professional can help make sure that your child has the best opportunity to succeed and give parents piece of mind before the new school year even begins.

Children's Eye Exams:The Important Connection between Vision and Learning

It is that time of year when the activities of summer are keeping you so busy having fun that it is easy to forget the start of a new school year is just around the corner.  While summer is a great time to relax by engaging in various recreational activities and family vacations, it is also a great time to schedule exams for your children as they are on break from the busy school year.  As such, summer is a great time to get a comprehensive eye exam for your children in order to make sure they have optimal vision to aid their ability to learn.    

The majority of all we learn is attributable to the information we are able to process from the images we see.  Recent studies confirm this strong correlation between Vision and Learning as 80% of what a child learns is presented visually.  We know that reading is enhanced when our eyes are functioning properly, and many learning difficulties can be attributed to poor vision.  Unfortunately, the statistics show that only around 31% of children from ages 6 to 16 years old have an eye exam each year.  In addition, 70% of children under the age of six years old have never had an eye exam.  As a result of these infrequent or missed eye exams, one in four children will go back to school this year with an undiagnosed vision problem that could interfere with their ability to see and learn.

I encourage every parent to give their child the best opportunity to learn this school year by ensuring they have proper visual function.  A back to school eye exam from your eye care professional can help make sure that your child has the best opportunity to succeed and give parents piece of mind before the new school year even begins.   

UV Eye Alert! Protect Your Eyes with Polarized Sunglasses!

Just as the sun’s rays can damage your skin with sunburn, premature aging and skin cancer; these rays can also potentially have bad consequences for your eyes.  Growing evidence shows that long-term exposure to UV rays can lead to macular degeneration and cataracts, serious eye conditions that can cause vision impairment or loss.

            As you begin preparing for your vacation destination be sure to take these basic precautions when in the sun this spring in order to protect your eyes from damage associated with UV exposure.  When possible, limit your time in the sun and take breaks often throughout the day.  Also make sure to wear a wide-brimmed hat, and polarized sunglasses that filter 99% of UV rays.

            Polarized sunglass lens technology is often a great choice for your day at the beach as they effectively filter out horizontally polarized light reflected from the surface of the water that is often the cause of harmful glare.  Due to this fact, Polarized lenses have long been the standard in sunglasses for fishermen but now all those that love the outdoors are enjoying their tremendous benefits as well. 

            Remembering to protect your children’s eyes is also important as studies now show that children may receive up to 80% of their exposure to damaging UV rays by age 18.  To keep them safe, follow the same precautions as you would for an adult, while making sure to choose sunglasses that properly fit their smaller faces, have impact resistant lenses with quality frames, and have lenses large enough to shield their entire eye. 

            Stop in to see your eye doctor before you head out on your trip to the beach.  We are the experts that can help you have your day in the sun while safely protecting the eyes as well.  We can recommend the best in quality polarized sunglasses in both prescription and non-prescription that meet the highest standards for sun and safety protection our industry has to offer.     

Responsible contact lens wear can improve self image in children compared to glasses

Do you find yourself constantly reminding your child to wear their glasses? Does this often lead to a battle you know that you can’t win once they are away at school? If so you may take heart in knowing that contact lenses can have certain advantages over glasses in some younger patients. Though contact lenses are not a perfect option for every child, many children can benefit from the new technologies of the contact lens industry leading to a better quality of life.

Daily contact lenses are a great option for children as they allow these patients to wear a fresh contact lens each day without the hassle of remembering to store and clean the lenses properly. This simplifies the contact lens experience for children and their parents as they only have to remember to throw the lenses away each night before bed. In addition the less time a lens is on your eye and reused, the result is a lower chance of infection and potential allergic complications.

A former study shows that contact lenses can have a dramatic effect on self image for children. In our office I often see this in terms of younger patients feeling better about their appearance without glasses, or even in their ability to excel athletically with contacts aiding their vision. You can read the details of this study from The Ohio State University College of Optometry by clicking the above link.

Above all contact lenses are a medical device and may present a risk for certain patients. Therefore, the decision for your child to go into contact lenses should be agreed upon by the eye doctor, parents, and a responsible child to ensure safe and healthy contact lens wear.