The Importance of Children's Eye Exams
With more than 80 percent of your child's education at school being delivered visually vision problems can cause a significant disadvantage in learning and at play. Without a comprehensive eye exam to determine the condition of a child's sight, problems may go unnoticed and become difficult or impossible to correct. Since children may not realize they have issues with their eyesight, vision problems may manifest as troubles at school such as not paying attention in class, frustration and delays in learning. Children's eye exams are critical to their success in school.
Symptoms of Eye and Vision Problems
Since children often do not realize they are having trouble with their vision, there are some symptoms that warrant an immediate visit to your optometrist:
- Increased blinking or continual eye rubbing
- Shorter attention spans than typical for their age
- Refusing to read or participate in other close up tasks
- Frequent headaches
- Closing or covering one of their eyes when trying to focus
- Bringing things close to their face to read
- Wandering eye or seeing double
- Difficulty retaining information that is read
Free Children's Eye Exams
Alberta Health Care understands the importance of vision to children's education and development and cover their eye exams until they reach the age of 19. By covering the cost of exams, this ensures children do not have to suffer with vision problems that affect their development and may lead to difficulties into adulthood. Unfortunately, many parents are not aware that children's eye exams are covered so the optometrists of Millcreek Optometry Centre would appreciate if you could spread the word.
Did you know?
Alberta Health Care also covers eye exams that are necessary due to health conditions. Some of these include:
- Diabetes wellness checks
- Eye infections
- Allergies
- Pink Eye (conjunctivitis)
Millcreek Optometry Centre offers short wait times, cutting edge technology and highly experienced doctors of optometry. To book your children's eye exams or to find out if your health-related eye exam is covered, please contact us.