poor vision

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), 1 in 4 school children have vision problems. And with the new school year right around the corner, now is the perfect time to have your child’s eyes examined. This is why the Prevent Blindness America Association has named August Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month.

Children’s Eye Health Checklist

Because children do not know what normal vision looks like, they are often unable to articulate the problem to their teachers or parents. This is why the American Optometric Association has compiled a list of warning signs to help detect potential eye problems in children. These warning signs include:

Sitting close to the TV
Squinting
Holding reading materials close to the face
Tilting their head
Rubbing the eyes frequently
Turning of an eye in or out
Sensitivity to light
Difficulty with eye-hand-body coordination
Avoiding coloring activities, puzzles and other detailed activities

If you notice your child displaying any of the above warning signs of vision problems, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor – optometrist or ophthalmologist – at your earliest convenience. The early detection and treatment of vision problems is the best way to help preserve your child’s sight. This is why regular checkups with eye doctor are so important.

In fact, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus recommend the following exams:

Newborn: It is recommended that all newborns undergo a red reflex test, which is a basic indicator that a baby’s eyes are normal.
Infant: A second vision screening is recommended between six months and one year old.
Preschooler: It is recommended to have a child’s eye alignment and visual acuity tested between the ages of 3 and 4.
School age: It is important to have a child’s vision tested upon entering school or whenever a vision problem is suspected.

Eye exams for children are important for normal vision development and academic achievement, as vision is closely linked to the learning process.

To learn more about Children’s Eye Health, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrist Dr. Nathan Frank, and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com.

Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

Vision problems may be a natural part of aging. Losing your vision doesn’t have to be.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!

Sources:

August Awareness: Children’s Eye Health & Safety Awareness

Regularly scheduled eye exams – regardless of your age or physical fitness – are an important part of your overall health, not just your vision.

Eye exams for adults are needed to keep your eyeglasses prescription current. Even if you primarily wear contact lenses, having a current eyeglasses prescription is still very important. If something were to happen to your contacts,it is necessary to have a pair of up-to-date backup glasses handy. During your eye exam, your eye doctor will also check for early signs of eye disease and other health-related disorders. Did you know that eye doctors (optometrists orophthalmologists) are often the first healthcare professionals to detect chronicsystemic diseases, like high blood pressure or diabetes?

Eye exams for children, meanwhile, are important for normal vision development and academic achievement. Vision is closely linked to the learning process and poor vision will often result in poor academic performance. And since the effected child does not know what normal vision looks like, he/she is unable to articulate the problem to their teachers or parents. That is why regularly scheduled eye exams are important even if your child does not complain of poor or blurry vision.

What does an Eye Doctor Check for during an Eye Exam?

Your eye doctor will not only evaluate your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses,but he/she will also inspect your eyes for common eye diseases and other problems thatcould lead to vision loss. Your eye

doctor will look for the following:

Refractive Errors: These errors, which include nearsightedness, farsightedness, andastigmatism, are corrected with eyeglasses, contacts, or eye surgery.

Regularly scheduled eye exams – regardless of your age or physical fitness – are an important part of your overall health, not just your vision.

Eye exams for adults are needed to keep your eyeglasses prescription current. Even if you primarily wear contact lenses, having a current eyeglasses prescription is still very important. If something were to happen to your contacts, it is necessary to have a pair of up-to-date backup glasses handy. During your eye exam, your eye doctor will also check for early signs of eye disease and other health-related disorders. Did you know that eye doctors (optometrists or ophthalmologists) are often the first healthcare professionals to detect chronic systemic diseases, like high blood pressure or diabetes?

Eye exams for children, meanwhile, are important for normal vision development and academic achievement. Vision is closely linked to the learning process and poor vision will often result in poor academic performance. And since the effected child does not know what normal vision looks like, he/she is unable to articulate the problem to their teachers or parents. That is why regularly scheduled eye exams are important even if your child does not complain of poor or blurry vision.

What does an Eye Doctor Check for during an Eye Exam?

Your eye doctor will not only evaluate your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses, but he/she will also inspect your eyes for common eye diseases and other problems that could lead to vision loss. Your eye doctor will look for the following:

Refractive Errors: These errors, which include nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, are corrected with eyeglasses, contacts, or eye surgery.

Glaucoma: The term Glaucoma refers to a group of eye conditions that lead to damage the optic nerve, usually resulting from a rise in intraocular pressure (IOP). The optic nerve carries visual information from the eye to the brain.

Cataracts: A cataract is clouding of the eye’s lens, which is located behind the iris and pupil. Cataracts do not damage the health of your eye in any way; they just result in blurry vision.

Amblyopia: This occurs when one eye has a much different prescription than the other or when the eyes are turned, resulting in the brain “shutting off” the image from the effected eye. Failure to address this disorder can result in permanent vision loss. Amblyopia is often treated with drops or by patching the stronger eye for a period of time.

Strabismus: Also known as crossed eyes or turned eyes, Strabismus can cause problems with depth perception and can even lead to Amblyopia.

Corneal Disease: There are several different conditions including infections, degenerations and other disorders that affect the cornea.

Diabetic Retinopathy: This is the most common progressive eye disease resulting from long-term diabetes.

And Much, Much More!

If you have any questions about what you have just read or if you would like to schedule an eye exam, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

Led by Dr. Boles, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitterand YouTube as well!

Sources:

Why Are Eye Exams Important?

Vision Problems in Children: August is Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month

The Importance of Regular Eye Exams