Make Vision Health a Priority

How sight affects learning in children, teens

As children and teens gear up for another year of studies, parents should be aware of often overlooked obstacles that may hinder academic success: vision problems.

Challenges with learning and performance

Living in a visual world, almost 80 percent of what children learn through age 12 is from their sense of sight. In order to succeed in common activities, such as learning at school, reading, playing sports and being engaged in everyday activities, kids call on more than 15 visual skills.

For children, the most common vision issues are known as refractive errors, such as astigmatism, farsightedness and nearsightedness. These issues are more common than you may think – affecting 1 in 4 school age kids. Such problems, when left untreated, can hinder a child's ability to learn in school.

In fact, studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the National Eye Institute reveal that over 60 percent of students with learning problems have undiagnosed vision abnormalities that contribute to their difficulties.

Eye exams for every child

According to the American Optometric Association, children should receive their first eye exam by age 1, a second at age 3 and another before beginning kindergarten. From then on, students should have a yearly comprehensive exam to evaluate their total vision. While some students may receive a yearly screening from a school nurse, the American Foundation for Vision Awareness reveals that such exams only identify 5 percent of childhood vision issues.

Be aware of the signs

As a parent or caregiver, being aware of common health concerns in your children is part of your job. But are you aware of the warning signs for bad vision? Consider the following symptoms that indicate a child may have a vision problem:

If any of these warning signs are detected, parents or caregivers should schedule an appointment with an eye care professional for a comprehensive exam to evaluate the child's vision and identify any necessary treatment options.