Your child’s visual acuity can play a very important role in their development. Poor vision can affect mood, reading comprehension, hand-eye coordination and more. This is why we recommend children have a vision screening and comprehensive eye exam as early as age one. There are also many other things to consider for your child’s eye wellness and safety.
Pediatric Comprehensive Exams
Children are often given vision screenings in school to notify parents of visual acuity issues. A good score during a vision screening may indicate satisfactory visual acuity but does not review the actual health of the eye. An annual comprehensive eye exam is recommended and required in the State of Illinois when entering Kindergarten or entering a new school. It is essential for children since vision complications develop at a young age. If early treatment is initiated, it most often can be corrected. This is especially relevant with the increase in myopia (near sightedness.) It is possible a child could have 20/20 vision but present with focusing or tracking issues. Color blindness, strabismus and amblyopia are just a few issues our doctor look for during a pediatric exam. Our doctors have advanced tools to develop advanced treatment plans to insure your child’s vision does not hinder their success as they develop.
Myopia Control
With an increase in digital device use, myopia (nearsightedness) has been on the rise. Testing is done at each examination and special attention is taken whether intervention is necessary to control myopia progression in children. It is important in developing healthy usage and preventative routines beginning at a young age. At a Glimpse, studies show early intervention through progressive lenses or multifocal contact lenses can significantly slow down myopia at an early age. Other more invasive treatment options will be discussed for severe cases of progression (i.e. atropine drops and Ortho-k rigid contact lenses). We take great care in offering the newest technology to slow down and prevent myopia in children.
Protective Eyewear Options
Kids lead active lifestyles which sometimes lead to eye injuries. These could be avoided with the proper protective eyewear or lens options. Our experts can assist you in selecting impact and scratch resistant materials and lens options that fit every lifestyle. Glimpse Vision offers sport specific frame designs to protect your child for every sport and activity while giving them the best vision possible. We also factor in your child’s school or play environments. Protection from UV and blue light exposure can help prevent various eye health issues from occurring with age.
Blue Light Protection
A child’s eye can absorb up to 65% of all blue light encountered. Even though your eyes do a good job at filtering UV light, your child may need additional help to protect them from the potential side effects of prolonged exposure to blue light. Symptoms may included eye strain, dry eyes and difficulty with sleep. The sun provides our biggest exposure to blue light. While children may have increased exposure of blue light due to increased device and computer usage as well as LED lights in their classrooms, our Doctor and Opticians will determine the best solutions to help reduce your kids blue light exposure with special lens materials and coatings.
Click here to learn more about options for blue light protection.
UV (Ultra-violet Light) Protection
The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of a person’s exposure to damaging UV rays occurs by the age of 18. Approved sunwear against UVA/UVB and a rimmed hat starting at a young age will prevent eye disease later in life such as macular degeneration, cataracts and skin cancers. A great option for children are Transitions lenses which provide your child with the best protection from UV and blue light both indoors and outdoors. Our experts can also discuss anti-reflective options which reduce damaging reflective UV light exposure that occurs especially during winter months. All sunglasses at Glimpse provide necessary UV protection along with advanced lens technology.
20/20/20 Rule for Device Use
It seems a child’s life revolves around computer and device usage – both at school and at home. In fact, most kids between the ages of 5 – 8 use some digital device almost 3 hours per day. That exposure increases as a child gets older. Teach your kid to practice the 20-20-20 rule for myopia prevention, eye strain, dry eyes and headaches. Every 20 minutes, gaze 20 feet away for 20 seconds while keeping devices at an arms length.