With back-to-school activities just around the corner, many parents are working hard to make sure their children are prepared for the upcoming school year. One important way to do this is by making sure our children are safe and healthy with a comprehensive physical and eye exam.
August is National Children's Eye Health & Safety Month. A good rule of thumb is to have your children's eyes examined during a well-child visit starting at age three. If you or your provider suspects your child has a vision problem, you can make an appointment with the ophthalmologist for further testing. Some specific warning signs to look out for in your child's vision include:
-Wandering or crossed eyes
-A family history of childhood vision problems
-Disinterest in reading or viewing distant objects
-Squinting or turning the head in an unusual manner while watching television
Eye exams in children can detect many issues like refractive errors (near or farsightedness and astigmatism), amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), ptosis (eyelid drooping), and color deficiency (color blindness).
Another important aspect of your child’s eye health is their eye safety. Injury is the leading cause of vision loss in children- with about 42,000 sports-related eye injuries in the U.S. every year. You can help keep your child from becoming one of the 12 million children who suffer from vision impairment.
Well-child visits, back-to-school immunizations, and ophthalmologist appointments can all be made here in Slayton at Murray County Medical Center!