Back to School Preparation
Prepare for back to school with an eye exam, blue light glasses, contacts and more
The back-to-school season is upon us! That means it is time to prepare your child for another successful school year. You are probably busy shopping for notebooks, highlighters and binders, but have you scheduled your kid’s yearly eye exam? 1 out of 4 children suffers from undiagnosed vision problems while in school. Most vision issues go undetected, because children typically don’t realize they have vision problems. Whether your child goes back to the classroom or attends school virtually, it is important to address vision needs during the back-to-school season. Visionworks can help you with everything from scheduling your kid’s eye exam, to ordering blue light filtering glasses, to contacts—and more. Let’s get ready for back-to-school together!
The Importance of Back-to-School Eye Exams
The importance of a back-to-school eye exam for your kids cannot be overstated. The American Optometric Association recommends the following examination guideline for early detection of vision problems.
| AGE | EXAMINATION FREQUENCY |
|---|---|
| Birth to 24 months | By 6 months of age or as recommended |
| 2 to 5 years | At 3 years of age |
| 5 to 19 years | Annually |
While some schools conduct vision screenings, the vision problems of over 75% of children who participate go unnoticed—and 40% of children who fail the vision screening never receive follow up care.
These screenings simply do not offer the same level of care and attention that an appointment with an eye doctor provides. Children who attend virtual or home school may go even longer without recognizing a vision problem, because they are less likely to have to read from a distance and it is easier to find ways to adjust in a familiar setting. If left unchecked, vision problems can lead to poor grades in school, difficulty reading, frustration and even chronic headaches.
During a Visionworks eye doctor appointment, the optometrist not only measures visual acuity but also measures eye pressure and examines the retina to get a more detailed picture of both eye health and general health. These findings are used to determine your child’s glasses prescription if needed, conduct a contact lens fitting if appropriate and recommend additional vision care as required.
Schedule your kids’ back-to-school eye exams today.
Smart Screen Lenses—Blue Light Filtering Glasses for School
Whether your child is attending traditional school or virtual school, computers and digital devices are now the norm for learning, connecting and having fun. Teens spend an average of 9 hours a day on screens. That’s a lot of screen time! Studies have shown that increased exposure to the blue light our screens give off can result in dry eyes, blurred vision, tired eyes, sore eyes, headaches and watery eyes. Back-to-school is a great time to invest in blue light reducing glasses for school.
At Visionworks, we offer blue light filtering glasses with our Smart Screen lenses. These lenses appear clear, so they blend in with your stylish frames and reduce exposure to blue light rays by over 45%. This is 3x more blue light reduction than regular glasses. Ask a Visionworks expert about adding Smart Screen lenses to your kids’ glasses prescription.
Have more questions about defending your eyes from blue light with Smart Screen lenses?
Contacts for Kids — When is the Right Age?
If your children are entering their teenage years, now may be the right time to consider getting contacts for your kids. Most eye doctors agree that kids can start wearing contact lenses once they reach age 12 or 13. However, it is important to consult your optometrist and consider your child’s maturity and responsibility when making the choice to switch to contacts.
Contacts may be the right choice for your kid if they understand the responsibility of keeping them clean, storing them properly, and wearing them in line with the recommended guidelines. Contacts are a great option for active kids who play sports because they don’t come with the hassles of falling off, sliding down the nose, or getting damaged during play. Teens also like the aesthetic of contacts compared to glasses and the convenience of not having the lenses fog or collect water droplets during outdoor activities.
When wearing contacts for the first time, a pediatric optometrist will have to conduct a contact lens fitting session after your kid’s eye exam and explain the procedures to place and remove the lenses for wear. Make sure that your child understands that there will be an adjustment period from glasses to contacts. Getting acclimated to contacts comes with a small learning curve, but your eye doctor will be there to help!
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Information received through Visionworks® content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor, physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Claims regarding blue light efficiency are supported by manufacturer-provided test results.
