Back to School Vision Tests – A Must for Students
Heading back to school after summer break means it’s time to adjust those eyes to looking at the whiteboard and school books again. Hopefully, kids get an “eye break” over the summer while they play outside, go on adventures and practice reading for enjoyment rather than studying is a great way to help them exercise their eye muscles.
But now that school is starting again, it’s the perfect time to head to your family eye doctor to ensure their eyes are in good health and that nothing has changed over the summer. Starting kids off on the right foot when it comes to their eye health is the best way to help them succeed at school, and in life!
Fall is an excellent time for an eye check up
Is it time for your kids’ eye exams? Has it been more than a year? Then contact us now for their OHIP covered eye exam!
There are many reasons to schedule an eye exam in the fall. While you can schedule a check up for any time of the year, back to school season is a good option for many families.
Reasons to schedule a fall eye exam:
- Start school on with clear vision
- Start the school year with a new style if glasses are needed
- Won’t risk falling behind if they can’t see the board
- Diagnose any possible issues early
- Stay ahead of their eye health
- Create a new yearly routine
- Get it out of the way, so you don’t have to schedule it during the busy school year
The school year only gets busier
Walking into a new school year off with a clean bill of eye health, or a new pair of glasses if they’re needed, is the best way to start of the school year on the right foot! It can be tempting to wait to schedule a check up until the back to school busy-ness has calmed down, but once school sports, activities and homework get underway it can be even harder yo find the time to make it to an appointment. If you build an eye exam into your yearly back to school routine, it will be such a relief to know it’s taken care of already!
Vision issues can be hard to catch without an exam
Eyesight issues generally present gradually, so it can be hard for kids to realize that they have any problems seeing. Especially when starting back at school after a summer away, it can seem normal that the words on the board are a bit blurry.
Gradual changes in vision happen so slowly that a child often doesn’t know to point out a problem, until it’s already started to affect their life, if even then!
Teachers often don’t notice
With 20 or more students looking back at her every day, it can be hard for a teacher to notice a single student struggling with their vision. Unfortunately, even when working one on one with a student it can be hard to a teacher or aide to notice vision issues in a student, because troubles with eyesight can appear in many different ways. While one student might have trouble seeing the board, another might have difficulty reading from a book right in front of him.
The best way to diagnose any potential eye concerns is with a regular exam, before you even notice any problems.
Act before vision issues surface
It’s important to schedule yearly exams to stay ahead of these vision problems, and to diagnose them before they start interfering with a students’ schoolwork. Lessons tend to move quickly in class, especially as a child gets older, so they will quickly dally behind if their vision is giving them issues.
OHIP covers annual eye exams
For kids under 19 and seniors over 65+, an annual eye exam is covered by OHIP, meaning that there is no excuse for not getting the kids in for their regular check up. Contact your family eye doctor early to schedule your appointment, you might not be the only family trying to get in for check ups before the school year starts!