Why should my child see an Eye Doctor in addition to their school eye exam or regular doctor visit?
Dr. Schechter and the staff at Fox Chase are happy to see patients of all ages. Parents often believe that until the child is older or starts to complain about not being able to see the board at school, there is no need to visit the Eye Doctor. Their eyesight is tested by the school nurse or Pediatrician, so why do they need to come see an Eye Doctor? The answer is that the Eye Doctor does a much more thorough exam then what your child will get at school. The Eye Doctor will test the health of the eye and detect any possible diseases, nearsightedness so your child can read properly and much more.
Since learning is 80% visual, it's important to have regular eye exams, even at a young age. Often, a child is experiencing behavioral issues because they cant see the board and are struggling to read up close due to poor eyesight.
What will the Eye Doctor look for?
As mentioned, even if the school nurse is saying your child's vision is 20/20 there are many more factors to check.
- Near and farsight - see if your child has an issue seeing at a distance or up close.
- Binocular Vision/Fusion – do the eyes work together or do they drift apart? Is there eye coordination? If not, they may have Binocular Vision Dysfunction
- Focusing skills – can the eyes focus on items near and far
- Lazy eye – making sure one eye isn’t dragging when the other is moving
Having regular eye exams for your child, even at a young age when there is no indication of myopia or a need for glasses is vital. The Eye Doctor can look deep into the health of the eye and ensure your child has no eye health or vision issues. Call us for more info 215-621-8497.