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August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month.
Your child’s eye health, safety and vision are probably the most important tools he has to succeed in school. Eating a well balanced diet, getting the proper amount of sleep and getting regular doctor check ups will ensure the health of your child’s eyes. It is recommended that all children receive a thorough eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist before beginning kindergarten. Annual eye exams are recommended for children who wear glasses or contacts. Children who do not wear corrective eyewear should have an eye exam every other year.
If he/she has a vision problem and it does not get addressed, there can be negative consequences for your child in school performance, sports and play that can last a lifetime.
Two visual concerns that school aged children face are visual acuity (near and farsightedness) and astigmatism. With a complete eye exam, eye care practioners are able to detect these problems. Here is a list of 13 signals that parents and teachers should look for in their child/students that indicate a vision screening or full eye exam is advisable.
- Consistently sitting too close to the TV or holding a book too close
- Losing his place while reading
- Using a finger to follow along while reading
- Squinting
- Tilting the head to see better
- Frequent eye rubbing
- Sensitivity to light
- Excessive tearing
- Closing one eye to read, watch TV or see better
- Avoiding activities which require near vision, such as reading or homework, or distance vision, such as participating in sports or other recreational activities
- Complaining of headaches or tired eyes
- Avoiding using a computer, because it "hurts his eyes"
- Receiving lower grades than usual
Cobb County School District requires vision, hearing and dental screenings prior to beginning kindergarten in August. The County also requires mass vision and hearing screenings for students. At Due West, we mass screen students in first and fourth grades, as well as all new students to Cobb County. If a student does not pass two screenings, parents/guardians will be notified by mail. A teacher may also refer students to the school nurse if vision or hearing problems are assessed in the classroom.
Prevention is the best defense against eye injuries. Being aware and teaching children of possible eye hazards is the key. The most common causes of eye injuries in children are from the misuse of common objects (toys, pens, pencils, scissors, eating utensils, etc.) Being aware of how to prevent eye injuries while playing sports is also important. Make sure your child always wears proper eye protection when playing sports.
For more information on eye health and injury prevention, please visit www.preventblindness.org
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