Dr. Bandali is happy to see and help patients of all ages from Sherwood Park. In fact, the American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends getting your kids an eye exam from the age of 6 months. However, many parents are asking the question, why do I need to get my child an eye exam when they passed their vision screening with the school nurse or pediatrician? They can clearly see the board in school so what else is there to check?
Why your child needs a comprehensive eye exam
The truth is, 25% of all kids who pass a vision screening have eye issues. Since learning is 80% visual, it’s vital that you ensure your child’s site is working properly. Many children are unfortunately misdiagnosed with ADD or ADHD when it fact, they are just getting frustrated that they can’t see things properly in class! 
What will the Eye Doctor look for at my child’s eye exam?
As mentioned, even if the school nurse is saying your child’s vision is fine, there are many more factors to check regarding the health of the eye.
- Near and farsight – see if your child has an issue seeing at a distance or up close.
- Focusing skills – can the eyes focus on items near and far
- Binocular Vision/Fusion – do the eyes work together or do they drift apart? Is there eye coordination? If not, they may have Binocular Vision Dysfunction
- Lazy eye – making sure one eye isn’t dragging when the other is moving
These are all very important potential issues with the eye that would never get picked up from a routine viual screening at school. This is why it’s important that parents book eye exams for their children at an early age. We look forward to seeing you at our Sherwood Park eye care clinic.