Current:Home > StocksMake eye exams part of the back-to-school checklist. Your kids and their teachers will thank you -WealthRoots Academy
Make eye exams part of the back-to-school checklist. Your kids and their teachers will thank you
View
Date:2025-04-17 09:08:44
When a little boy burst into tears in her third-grade classroom last fall, Audrey Jost pulled him aside while the other kids were at recess. He said he was getting headaches and falling behind the other students, so Jost spoke with his parents about getting his eyes tested.
A few days later the boy returned with contact lenses, seeming like a different kid, said Jost, who teaches in a public school in Gilbert, Arizona.
“It was amazing, just the change that that had in him, academically, socially,” she said. “He just lit up that day.”
In her 18 years of teaching, Jost said she’s seen this problem — and its relatively simple solution — many times before, including with one of her own daughters.
That’s why experts say late summer is a great moment to add an eye test to the back-to-school checklist.
Vision problems often go undiagnosed
The American Optometric Association says 1 in 4 children start school with some sort of vision problem, impairing their ability to learn, participate in sports and observe the world around them.
But many kids won’t tell you something is wrong because they don’t know they have a problem, said Annette Webb, an optometrist in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
“They don’t have anything to compare it to,” said Webb, who recounted a story about a boy who loved to draw trees but had never seen individual leaves until he got glasses. “They think everybody sees like they do.”
This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.
Many children with undiagnosed vision issues can develop behavior problems because they are predisposed to be disengaged. They might seek to entertain themselves, thereby disrupting the class. Or they could be perceived as copying a neighboring student’s work, but really they can’t see a math problem on the board, Webb said.
“Don’t initially just assume they’re cheating all the time,” Webb said. “If somebody’s habitually looking at a neighbor’s paper, then I would definitely say that’s a red flag.”
How to spot a vision issue
Other indicators parents and teachers should look out for are squinting, requests to move around the classroom and headaches, particularly ones during the afternoon that are likely caused by eye strain.
“Any complaints of any sort, saying they can’t see, rubbing their eyes a lot, if they have red eyes, if they’re bumping into things, they should get checked,” said Megan Collins, an ophthalmologist at Johns Hopkins University.
Collins emphasized that vision screenings, which are mandated in most states, are an important first step to identifying kids with potential eye problems. As a public health researcher, she advocates for strengthening in-school vision programs to help address disparities in access to screenings and eye exams in underserved areas.
But she said the end of summer is still a good time to remind families about the importance of vision for learning. A good place to start is at yearly check-ups with a pediatrician, who should do a routine vision screening that will detect kids at risk for the most common ailments.
She said the exceptions are children with a family history of eye problems or diseases that can affect the eye, such as diabetes, or kids who take medications with potential side effects. They should have a proper eye exam every year.
How to access eye care
If you don’t have a vision plan or can’t afford glasses, check with the school nurse. Some schools, particularly in large cities and underserved areas, have programs to provide eye exams and glasses for free.
There are also many private programs offering discounts or free glasses to low-income families, such as civic associations like the Lions Club International or VSP Eyes of Hope, offered by one of the largest vision insurance providers.
Once any issue is corrected, the key is for parents and teachers to communicate to make sure kids are wearing their glasses, Collins said.
Luckily, the old stereotype of the four-eyed nerd in the Coke-bottle glasses doesn’t have the power it used to.
“The exciting thing is that in a school setting, kids tend to enjoy wearing glasses these days,” she said. “They like the styles and colors, which is much different from when I was a kid.”
___
Albert Stumm writes about food, travel and wellness. Find his work at https://www.albertstumm.com
___
For more AP Lifestyles stories, go to https://apnews.com/lifestyle.
veryGood! (6849)
Related
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Thousands of voters in Alabama district drawn to boost Black political power got wrong information
- Hondurans glued to their former president’s US drug trafficking trial
- Nikki Haley campaign pushed to brink after Super Tuesday trouncing
- B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
- How an Oregon tween's frantic text led to man being accused of drugging girls at sleepover
- Royal Caribbean cabin attendant accused of hiding cameras in bathrooms to spy on guests
- Panel says New York, Maryland and maybe California could offer internet gambling soon
- Meet the volunteers risking their lives to deliver Christmas gifts to children in Haiti
- Montreal’s ‘Just for Laughs’ comedy festival cancels this year’s edition, seeks to avoid bankruptcy
Ranking
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- San Diego man is first in U.S. to be charged with smuggling greenhouse gases
- 'Ghastly sight': Thousands of cattle killed in historic 2024 Texas Panhandle wildfires
- Jason Kelce makes good on promise to Bills fans by jumping through flaming table
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Iowa Democrats to release results of 2024 presidential caucuses tonight
- Another inmate found dead at troubled Wisconsin prison
- Royal Caribbean cabin attendant accused of hiding cameras in bathrooms to spy on guests
Recommendation
Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
Love Is Blind’s Jess Dated This Netflix Star After Romance With Jimmy Ended
19-year-old dies after being hit by flying object from explosion, fire in Clinton Township
How Jason Kelce's Wife Kylie Kelce Feels About His Emotional NFL Retirement
Moving abroad can be expensive: These 5 countries will 'pay' you to move there
Wisconsin appeals court says regulators must develop PFAS restrictions before mandating clean-up
Dartmouth men's basketball team vote to form labor union which is first for college athletics
Dartmouth men’s basketball team votes to unionize, though steps remain before forming labor union