- 304-636-9111
- 1500 Harrison Avenue, Elkins, WV
- Mon. - Fri. • 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
BACK TO SCHOOL Vision & Eye Care
An annual exam done by an Optometric Physician is more focused on your child’s vision. School screenings are simply “pass-fail tests” that are often limited to measuring a child’s sight clarity and visual acuity up to a distance of 20 feet and not near vision. A need for vision screenings in our schools exist, school nurses provide a much-needed service. A vision screening has benefited many children who did not know they were not seeing clear.
Where a screening tests only for visual acuity, comprehensive exams will test for acuity, focusing, chronic diseases, color vision and eye tracking. This means a child may pass a vision screening at school because they are able to see the board, but they may not be able to see the words in the textbook in front of them. In other words, 20/20 does not equal the absence of vision and eye health problems!
Did you know that 1 out of 4 children has an undiagnosed vision problem because changes in their eyesight go unrecognized? Children who have not had a Well Vision Examination may not know they are not seeing well. One child after receiving their new eyeglasses said to Dr Craig, “mommy there are lines in the sky” as the patient had never seen power lines. Children may not tell you they’re having visions issues because they might not even realize it. They may simply think everyone sees the same way they do. Have you witnessed a child giving indirect clues, such as holding books or device screens close to their face, having problems recalling what they’ve read, or avoiding reading altogether. Other signs could include a short attention span, frequent headaches, seeing double, rubbing their eyes or tilting their head to the side.
Before your child comes to Family Eye Care Center, explain that eye exams aren’t scary, and can be fun. Dr Craig is Board Certified, and Residency trained in Pediatric vision and provides a kid-friendly eye exam for your child. If glasses are indicated for your child, we can even recommend frames and lenses that would be best for their particular vision needs and look cool too!. This may include sports eyewear, safety eyewear or even contact lenses.
Annual Well Vision Examinations are the best way to ensure success in the classroom and when playing sports. Better vision can also mean better confidence because they are able to see well.
Set your child up for success and schedule an exam today with Dr Craig!
Until Next Time, We’ll Be Seeing You!