Is An Eye Exam On Your “Back to School” List?

Backpack… ✔  Lunch bag… ✔  New running shoes… ✔   Don’t forget the most important tool you can give your children this year – healthy vision!

1 in 6 children have a vision problem significant enough to impair their ability to learn.  80% of learning is visual, so if a child cannot see properly, they will not learn properly.  Vision problems affect literacy, and a child’s ability to copy, print, read, and track objects.  It also affects their ability to participate in play, the development of good hand-eye coordination and their self-esteem.   

Undiagnosed vision problems are one of the major causes of learning difficulties in school-age children. Unresolved eye issues can lead children to exhibit a lack of attention, make them seem fidgety during the school day and can often be misinterpreted as behavioural issues or learning disabilities. Monitoring your children's vision will help them succeed in the classroom!

Can you ALWAYS tell if a child is not seeing well?  NO!  Some children exhibit obvious signs like squinting, holding reading objects close to their face and rubbing their eyes but others show absolutely no signs at all.  You may believe that your child sees well, but in fact, they may not. 

Why take a chance? Your Optometrist can tell you for sure. 

For Junior Kindergarten (JK) students in the Halton Region, the Eye See…Eye Learn Program provides OHIP insured eye examinations and a FREE pair of prescription glasses (if necessary).  The program is funded by the Ontario Government to raise awareness among parents of the importance of having their children’s eyes checked before they start school. Milton Optometry is a proud supporter and participant in the Eye See, Eye Learn Program! 

Milton Optometry recommends that children have a comprehensive eye exam annually starting at 6 months of age.  Early identification of a problem is the key to successfully correcting a child’s vision.  Set your child up for success in the classroom and have a comprehensive eye exam done by an Optometrist today!

We welcome infants, toddlers and children of all ages to our family-friendly office!   Visit www.miltonoptometry.ca or phone 905-636-9500 to reserve an appointment for your family.

 

Eye See...Eye Learn® Program offers Free Glasses to Junior Kindergarten Students

Starting preschool or kindergarten can be a very exciting time in a child's life. There is so much to see and do! But imagine not being able to properly see stories that are being read or words or letters on a page? The Eye See...Eye Learn® program wants to make sure that all parents are aware of what their program offers so that no child will experience difficulty learning due to vision problems.

The Eye See...Eye Learn® program provides comprehensive eye exams by local optometrists (or eye doctors) to junior kindergarten students in participating school regions. The eye exams are covered under provincial health insurance (or OHIP) when you show your child’s health card. This means that there is no out-of-pocket cost for the eye exam. If the child requires a pair of glasses, they will receive them FREE of charge courtesy of our participating sponsors.

The Eye See...Eye Learn® program was developed to raise awareness among parents of the importance of having their children's eyes checked upon starting school. Children, who cannot see the board, focus on a picture or follow words in a book may struggle to achieve their full learning potential. Vision problems can also impact their hand-eye coordination for physical activities and even impact their social development. In fact, 80 percent of learning comes directly through vision.

A few facts...

-Each year, fewer than 10 per cent of children have an eye exam before entering school, despite the fact that 25 per cent of all children have a vision problem significant enough to impair their ability to learn. Eye exams can also detect asymptomatic, but potentially life-threatening, eye conditions.
-Five to 10 per cent of preschool children have an undetected vision problem
-Approximately 60 per cent of children with literacy problems have an undiagnosed vision problem
-80 per cent of all learning is visual, so children who cannot see the board or focus on a picture or follow words in a book may struggle to achieve their full learning potential
-Vision problems can impact a child’s hand-eye coordination for physical activities and even their social development

To ensure Ontarians understand the importance of comprehensive eye examinations for children, the Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) has launched a video called Sarah’s Story and expanded the Eye See…Eye Learn® program. Please make sure your children’s eyes are examined by a Doctor of Optometry before they begin kindergarten.

Click here to find a list of participating optometrists in your area. Here in Milton I would highly recommend  Dr. Vrkljan AKA Dr. Phill from Milton Optometry. He was fabulous with my 3yr old son when completing his first eye exam.