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EYE EXAMINATIONS TOP BACK-TO-SCHOOL LISTS Parents, what's on your child's back-to-school list? Notebooks? Pens? Pencils? Maybe a backpack? How about an eye examination? Actually, an eye exam should be at the top of the list, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). That's because vision is such a large component of the learning process. Vision problems, whether they're obvious or not, can hinder a child's ability to learn to read, and later, to read to learn. AOA recommends children have an eye examination at age five, then annually from ages 6 to 19. It's a detailed but painless process (about 30 to 60 minutes) that allows an optometrist to get a clear picture of the child's eye health and vision development. Here are the elements AOA says a thorough examination should include:
The optometrist will also test the child for lazy eye, nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, crossed-eyes and color vision deficiencies and recommend any appropriate treatment, such as glasses or vision therapy, that the child needs. - Information provided by the American Optometric Association -
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