Do you know how well your child is able to see? What signs does your 6 month old or even toddler give to you indicating he/she has excellent vision? Is your child at a disadvantage in comparison to other children the same age because their sub-par vision is a hindrance to their learning?
80% of learning is visual, and as a parent, you want to make sure your child has every advantage at their fingertips. Did you know that one in six children have a vision related problem? Children with poor vision find it difficult to focus on their work and very often are misdiagnosed with a learning or behavioral disability.
When should you get your child’s eyes examined?
The Ontario Association Of Optometrists recommend that you should have your child’s eyes examined by your Doctor of Optometry at:
-6 months
-3 years old
-Annually thereafter
These exam dates allow us to ensure your child is meeting visual milestones in his/her development and allows us to ensure that as your child grows, and his/her eyes grow, the eyes remain stable and healthy. Below are some testimonials from parents showing how vital an eye exam is for your child.
Children’s eye exams are covered by OHIP from when they obtain their OHIP Health Card, until the age of 20. Even if children have had their initial eye exam and had no issues, they should continue to have yearly eye exams until the age of 20. At that time they can go bi-annually if there are no ocular or systemic health concerns.
Does your child wear sunglasses? Did you know that children accumulate 80% of their lifetime ocular sun damage before the age of 18? Be sure to get your child in the habit of wearing sun protection early, and continue the use of it throughout their lives. Many parents often express that it can be difficult to get a child to wear sunglasses, so a suitable substitute is a hat with a brim until you can get them in the habit of wearing sunglasses.
Finally, did you also know that children in Ontario who are entering, or are currently in Junior Kindergarden, may qualify for a free pair of glasses through the Eye See Eye Learn program?
See the video below for more info on this wonderful program or visit www.eyeseeeyelearn.ca.
Written by Dr. Wes McCann
Dr. McCann earned his two Bachelor of Science degrees (both with honours) at Western University in London, Ontario, before going on to earn his Bachelor of Vision Science, accelerated MBA, and Doctor of Optometry degrees at the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) of Optometry in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.