Posted by: Associates in Ophthalmology (NJ) in Eyes
The summer season is beginning to come to an end and that means back to school season is right around the corner! Preparing to go back to school is not just limited to new school supplies, accessories, and clothing. To ensure your children are truly prepared for school and learning, it’s important to book an eye exam. Eyesight plays a big role in the every day activities that come with being a student, which is why an eye exam is crucial before classes start up again. Poor vision can have a negative effect on a student’s report card and behavior, and you, as a parent, may never know the real reason until an eye exam is conducted!
The Earlier, The Better
It’s never too soon to get an eye exam. Eye exams begin from birth and should be done annually for the rest of your life.
How Vision Affects Daily Lessons?
Did you know, one out of every five school-aged children struggles with reading? If your child is unable to see properly, how will they be able to learn? Often times, children don’t complain about their vision, which is why vision problems can go unnoticed. Poor vision can prevent children from meeting their full potential in school, especially since 80% of school lessons are presented visually. Children who cannot see clearly can have a difficult time reading, spelling, and writing, and can even effect the way in which they learn and behave.
- Reading
Reading plays a big role in school at any grade, and vision can affect the way in which students develop strategies for reading. If a child has poor vision, they may not be able to comprehend what they are reading, which can lead to a longer learning process. This can potentially discourage a child from wanting to read, especially if other classmates are showing progress.
- Spelling
Spelling requires a student to have visual memory skills. If a child is not able to see properly, spelling can be challenging, as that skill has not developed to its full potential yet.
- Writing
Vision is very important when writing, because we need vision to lead our hand! If a student cannot see properly, writing may appear illegible. Having good visualization is also necessary in writing because that’s what helps us remember words, therefore allowing us to reproduce them. Poor vision can hinder with this skill, making writing difficult altogether.
- Mathematics
Poor vision can even affect the way a student performs in mathematics. If a student can’t see numbers or symbols properly, this can lead to miscalculations and incorrect answers. Even if the student understands mathematics, poor vision can still interfere.
- Behavior
In addition to affecting the way in which a student learns, vision can also affect the behavior of the student in class. The frustrations that come with not being able to see or learn at the pace of the rest of the class can discourage a student from trying all together, and make them feel like a failure. This can all lead to self-esteem issues, the urge to fight with others, and even the need to alienate themselves from everyone else. Poor vision can also cause a student to:- Seem uninterested during class lessons
- Constantly move or fidget
- Talk to/bother peers
- Become easily frustrated
- Feel embarrassed
- Refuse to read in front of class
- Refuse to complete work and homework
What To Look Out For
Most times, you can detect if your child has poor vision right at home. If your child is sitting close to the television, rubbing their eyes often, using a finger to guide their eyes while reading, or closing one eye, your child may have vision problems. The only way to tell for sure is by visiting your eye doctor!
Routine Eye Exams
Routine annual eye exams are important for your overall health, as our eyes are the windows to the soul, and can detect other health problems such as diabetes, autoimmune disorders, hereditary diseases and more. Eye exams can also detect any changes in our vision, determine visual acuity and assess eye focus.
Poor vision shouldn’t be the reason a student is not meeting their full potential in school. This year and moving forward, make an eye exam a part of your child’s back-to-school routine. At Associates in Ophthalmology, we are committed to using the most advanced technology to give a complete comprehensive eye exam and ensure that children are comfortable throughout the whole process! Book your child’s back to school eye exam today!
