Eye Facts
Below are several important facts to note and stay informed about you and your family's eye health from Lafayette Family Eye Care.
- 65% of children nationwide have not had an eye exam in the last 12 months. The AAO recommends children receive a comprehensive eye exam between 3 and 4 years of age.
- Vision screenings are not diagnostic and, consequently, do not necessarily lead to correction of problems; in reality, screenings only indicate a potential need for further care and many problems are missed.
- Early detection and treatment of visual disorders provide the very best opportunity to treat and correct problems to help children see clearly.
- One in four children in a classroom has visual problems and 60 percent of “problem learners” have undetected vision problems.
- Ten million children in America have undetected or undiagnosed vision conditions that can negatively affect learning.
- Comprehensive eye exams are necessary to detect problems that a simple vision screening can miss, such as eye coordination, lazy eye and near and farsightedness.
- If vision skills are lacking or the eyes are not functioning properly, it can lead to uncomfortable symptoms that can hinder a child’s ability to learn.
- Only 30 percent of adults understand that behavioral problems can be an indication of vision problems.
- Without healthy vision, students can face unnecessary challenges not only in the classroom, but also to their mental, physical, social and emotional well-being.
- One of the most important things a parent can do to help their children succeed in school is to take them for a comprehensive eye exam.
- Eye exams are important because many conditions, especially chronic and systemic diseases and developmental problems can be detected through an eye exam. As with all preventative health measures, it is important to have early and regular eye exams so that problems can be diagnosed and treated at the onset of the condition.
- There is no reason to have even one child—let alone thousands—slip through the cracks and never reach their full potential because of preventable and treatable vision problems.
- The American Eye-Q Survey showed that 57 percent of children did not receive their first eye exam until age 5 or older. The longer a parent waits to take a child in for a comprehensive eye exam, the more difficult it is to treat a problem. In some cases, permanent damage may be done and irreversible vision loss may have occurred.
- Is your child's glasses prescription progressing frequently? Atropine 0.01% is a treatment for children that slows progression of myopia, or nearsightedness. Children receive one drop in each eye at bedtime for two years. Request an appoinment today to talk to our doctors about Atropine 0.01%.