If you’ve been hearing that your child will receive a vision screening at school you may be wondering why they need to be seen by an optometrist once a year for an eye exam. The vision screening your child receives at school or from their pediatrician is not equivalent to a comprehensive eye exam performed by an optometrist. Vision screenings only assess one or two areas of vision and may only reveal that further examination is needed. They do not diagnose eye or vision problems.
Comprehensive eye exams evaluate how well your child’s eyes focus, how well they work together, if there are any problem with color vision or symptoms of eye disease. By obtaining an eye exam your optometrist is able to treat any potential problems with glasses or vision therapy. Children should receive an initial comprehensive vision assessment at six months, with regular eye exams once a year.
If you have any questions regarding your child’s vision schedule an appointment with your family optometrist.
Information from the American Optometric Association.
Image from CBS.