Keeping Kids Eyes Healthy and Safe
As children and parents prepare for all of the back-to-school activities, it is important for children to get a comprehensive eye exam. August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, a good reminder to make sure any eye issues are discovered and addressed early.
A new report from the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness found that only 53% of U.S. children received a vision screening in 2021. Without early detection and treatment, uncorrected vision disorders can impair healthy development, interfere with learning and even lead to permanent vision loss. According to the report, “One out of 20 children between the ages of three and five has a serious eye problem, and if not treated on time, could result in permanent vision impairment. Most preschoolers do not receive routine eye screening, which is crucial to identify if children suffer from eye disease.”
Eye safety and health are essential to learning and child development. Visual functioning is a strong predictor of academic performance in school-age children. Common signs of concern about eye health are frequent rubbing of the eyes, squinting, tilting or turning the head to look at objects. The child may also squeeze their eyes, or you may notice their eyes wandering. If you are concerned, reach out to your pediatrician or contact your eye doctor.
For children ages 2-4, Society for the Blind is now offering a Toddler & Parent Support Group. Led by a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, this support group offers learning techniques, accessible toys, educational tools and peer support. The group meets at Society for the Blind and holds community outings. For more information please contact Cindy Cherry: 916-202-4358.
Society for the Blind is also expanding pediatric services in our Low Vision Clinic. We are proud of our longstanding partnership with the UC Davis Eye Center. Working together, our Low Vision Clinic is able to offer these young patients and their parents occupational therapy, training in the use of adaptive technologies and ongoing training in non-visual skills.
Our youth programming and clinical services now serve toddlers to young adults. We are committed to ensuring children with vision loss have a strong foundation to discover, develop and achieve their full potential.