Back-to-school season is a great time to schedule an eye appointment.

In less than a month, the school year begins. New classes and extracurricular activities will soon be the focus. Take advantage of the last days of summer to make sure your children are seeing their very best.

80% Of Learning Is Visual

A tremendous amount of information is processed through a student’s eyes on a daily basis. In fact, it is estimated that 80% of a child’s learning occurs through his or her eyes. That’s right, 80%! And although many schools conduct regular vision screenings, these tests are limited to determining if your child is nearsighted (trouble seeing objects at a distance). While vision screenings are good, there is no substitute for a thorough eye exam in order to identify a full spectrum of eye health and vision issues that can impact your child’s ability to learn.

Watch Dr. Steve Loomis, President of the AOA and Vision Source member optometrist as he talks about importantace of eye exams:

Visual Skills Needed For Success

A student’s learning requires much more than just reading what’s written on the chalkboard. A comprehensive exam is needed to make sure all of the basic vision skills are functioning properly. Some of the basic visual skills needed at school (and everywhere else for that matter) include:

• ability to focus the eyes
• using both eyes together as a team
• moving eyes effectively
• recognition– the ability to tell apart letters like “b” and “d”
• comprehension– picturing in the mind what is happening in a story
• retention– the ability to remember and recall details of what we read

Children with untreated vision problems can become frustrated and their academic performance may suffer. Some research suggests that untreated vision problems can even elicit some of the same behaviors as ADHD.

Good Vision Is Important For School Sports

Along with preparing for new classes, many students are dusting off their cleats and getting ready for school sports. A comprehensive eye exam can examine the visual skills needed for a specific sport, along with providing recommendation for any eye protection that may be required.

Is It Time For Your Student’s Exam?

Comprehensive eye exams are recommended at least once every two years. More frequent visits are recommended if risk factors or specific problems exist, or if recommended by your eye doctor. Do you have questions about your student's vision? We would love to answer any questions you might have. Thank you for letting us be a part of your vision health team! Find a Vision Source© practice near you using our search tool.

Top image by Flickr user Alexandre Normand used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.