During August, families are in full back-to-school mode. Parents are busy making sure their children are ready for the school year ahead, while children anxiously await meeting their classmates.
These preparations are important, but it is critical that parents don’t lose sight of one essential back-to-school item that is often overlooked — an eye exam.
Having good vision is an essential component of a child’s ability to learn and succeed in the classroom. Many vision problems begin early in childhood, with amblyopia being among the leading causes of vision issues in kids. Commonly called “lazy eye,” it occurs when one eye is weaker than the other, usually due to a developmental issue. This can lead to blurry vision, resulting in learning problems that can hamper a student’s educational growth.
Amblyopia is often difficult to detect without proper screening. Unlike a broken arm or an illness, amblyopia doesn’t hurt or make you feel bad. Kids don’t necessarily know anything is wrong with their vision until they are older and notice they can’t read something on a smart board or device.
Because of this, many students unfortunately do not get their vision screened until it is already too late and the vision loss has already occurred. In fact, an alarming 80 percent of Florida preschoolers are not screened at all and many students enter elementary school with undiagnosed and untreated eye disorders that can impact their learning gains.
The good news is that amblyopia is relatively easy to treat if caught early enough. Treatment varies but often requires remedies such as wearing an eye patch over the stronger eye or using eye drops to blur vision in the stronger eye temporarily. Over time, this can help strengthen the weaker eye and result in better vision. The sooner a child is screened and determined to have vision-threatening disorders such as amblyopia, the sooner a Pediatric Ophthalmologist can treat it to mitigate vision loss.
It is important that parents take the initiative to screen their children for amblyopia and other vision disorders. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that parents and guardians start having their children’s eyes screened around 6 months old. Toddlers may be evaluated by using photo-screening devices, which detect the need for glasses earlier. In Florida, the Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO) also recommends that all preschool children aged three to five be screened.
As part of the effort to encourage eye screenings for children, the FSO and its charitable arm, The For Eye Care Foundation, are recognizing August as Amblyopia Awareness Month. Ahead of this school year, I urge all parents to visit MDEye.org/Amblyopia to learn more and access helpful resources. Schedule an appointment with a local Ophthalmologist to ensure that your child’s clear vision paves the way for a bright future.
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Laura B. Sims, M.D., is a Miami ophthalmologist and Vice President of the For Eye Care Foundation, the charitable arm of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology.
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