A Vision For At the Eye Center, we believe that good vision is essential to a child’s academic success, and feel strongly that each child should have their eyes routinely evaluated with a comprehensive eye exam. Decreased vision can interfere with a child’s ability to see the board clearly at school, or to read or do their homework for prolonged periods of time. Often a child will cope by avoiding these activities, unaware that their vision is holding them back. Also, it’s dif��cult for most children to vocalize a vision problem, as most don’t understand they could be seeing more clearly or more comfortably. With the school year now back in full swing, it is possible for a child to begin facing challenges with their vision. So, let’s take this opportunity to de��ne some common vision conditions and suggest possible signs and symptoms to watch for. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is probably the easiest to detect. As the name implies, someone who is nearsighted sees well up close, but has trouble with their distance vision. You may suspect someone is nearsighted if they squint to see distant objects (for example: the board at school, especially when sitting in the back of the classroom). Recent studies reveal approximately 10% of school aged children are myopic. Myopia tends to worsen as a child grows, so an annual trip to the optometrist is necessary, along with prescription changes when needed. In contrast, someone who is hyperopic, or farsighted, sees distant objects quite well but complains of trouble up close. In my experience, these symptoms can be more subtle for patients. Someone who is farsighted may have the ability to read things up close, but experiences fatigue, eyestrain, or headaches after a prolonged period of time. If a child frequently comes home from school with a headache or with tired eyes, a comprehensive eye exam is warranted. Astigmatism is a term that is commonly used and poorly understood. Astigmatism 86
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