Many schools offer vision screenings to identify problems that may affect a student’s academic performance. While helpful, it’s not uncommon for parents to believe that their children have perfect vision when they pass these screenings. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
School-based vision screenings are limited in their capacity to detect the range of vision problems that can interfere with a child’s ability to learn. Learning and comprehending new material not only relies on accurate vision but also the eyes’ ability to communicate with the brain and process information. For these reasons, parents should always ensure their children have comprehensive eye exams with an optometrist.
Today, most of what a child learns in school is dependent on their visual skills, not their visual acuity. School screenings only check for certain conditions, such as severe lazy eye or nearsightedness. However, an optometrist uses specialized clinical tools and assessments to examine:
● How the eyes work together
● How the eyes work separately
● How the eyes focus
● Binocular vision
Each of these areas affects your child’s ability to learn, especially where reading and writing are concerned.
For more information about comprehensive eye exams or to schedule an appointment with an optometrist, contact your optometry Los Angeles CA office today.