• Vision Conditions
  • Glossary of All Eye & Vision Conditions
    • Acanthamoeba
    • Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)
    • Anterior Uveitis
    • Astigmatism
    • Blepharitis
    • Cataract
    • Chalazion
    • Color Vision Deficiency
    • Conjunctivitis
    • Diabetic Retinopathy
    • Dry Eye
    • Eye Coordination
    • Glaucoma
    • Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
    • Keratoconus
    • Macular Degeneration
    • Myopia (Nearsightedness)
    • Nystagmus
    • Ocular Hypertension
    • Presbyopia
    • Retinitis Pigmentosa
    • Retinoblastoma
    • Spots and Floaters
    • Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)
    • Visual Acuity: What is 20/20 Vision?
  • Información acerca de sus ojos - Español
• Eye Diseases
  • Infant Vision:
    Birth to 24 Months of Age
  • Preschool Vision:
    2 to 5 Years of Age
  • School-aged Vision:
    6 to 18 Years of Age
  • Adult Vision:
    19 to 40 Years of Age
  • Adult Vision:
    41 to 60 Years of Age
  • Adult Vision:
    Over 60 Years of Age
• Caring for Your Vision
  • What to Do About Dry Eyes
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Flood-Related Eye Care Precautions
  • Comprehensive Eye and Vision Examination
  • UV Protection
    • UV Protection with Contact Lenses
  • Protecting Your Eyes at Work
    • Computer Vision Syndrome
    • Guidelines for The Use of Contact Lenses In Industrial Environments
  • Children's Vision
    • Infant's Vision
    • Preschool Vision
    • School-Age Children
    • Toys, Games, and Your Child's Vision
  • Corneal Modifications
  • Contact Lenses
  • Low Vision
    • What Causes Low Vision?
    • Common Types of Low Vision
    • Low Vision Care
    • Low Vision Exam
    • Low Vision Devices
    • Low Vision Rehabilitation
  • Sports & Vision
    • Important Vision Skills for Sports
• Parents and Educators
  • Wyoming Eye Doctors Encourage Exams for School Kids
  • How Your Eyes Work
  • A Look at Reading and Vision
  • Activity Sheets
    • Activity Sheet 1: How the Eyes Work
    • Activity Sheet 2: Your Eye-Q Test
    • Activity Sheet 3: Focus on Seeing
    • Activity Sheet 4: Healthy Eyes Checklist
    • Activity Sheet 5: Eyes in Action
  • Classroom Exercises
    • Classroom Exercises: Day and Night
    • Classroom Exercises: Pinhole Focusing

Wyoming Eye Doctors Encourage Exams for School Kids

Color deficiency, focusing (also known as accommodation) abilities, visual alignment, binocular fusion (eye teaming), eye tracking skills, and overall eye health can have an impact on the learning process.

Eye Exams for School Kids Can Add Up to Success in School

It is estimated that 80 percent of all learning during a child’s first 12 years comes through vision. Yet, nearly 86% of children age five and under have not had a complete eye examination, advises Dr. James Bell of Cody, Wyoming and President of the Wyoming Optometric Association. That translates to about 18 million children who will not have had an eye exam by an eye doctor by the time they start school.

Statistics bear out the need for complete eye examinations for school-age children. Vision disorders have been ranked as the number one prevalent handicapping condition in childhood. Around five percent of children are identified as having visual acuity problems using a common Snellen eye chart, which gauges distance vision, during a typical vision screening.

A variety of visual skills play a role in a child’s ability to read and perform in school. Color deficiency, focusing (also known as accommodation) abilities, visual alignment, binocular fusion (eye teaming), eye tracking skills, and overall eye health can have an impact on the learning process. A child may be able to see letters 20 feet away, but that does not tell whether his eyes are able to work together to read materials 12 inches away.

Parents should keep in mind that a school vision screening, while helpful, is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam by an eye doctor. The American Optometric Association has developed a Back-In-School Eye Test, a list of questions that you can answer about your children’s eyesight and eye health. This test, while not designed for self diagnosis of problems, can serve as an indicator for potential vision problems that could have a negative impact on a child’s ability to learn and succeed in school.

For a free copy of the WOA Children's Vision 1-3-5 brochure, contact the Wyoming Optometric Association at 1/866-740-EYES.