August is the perfect time to get your children’s eyes checked before going back to school. Because you cannot always see vision problems, it’s important to schedule an eye exam. Your child’s eyes should be examined during regular pediatric appointments and vision testing should be conducted around age three.
Parents should be aware of signs of possible vision problems, including, but not limited to, wandering or crossed eyes, trouble reading, straining to see things that are far away, or squinting. Alert your pediatrician if your child has any of these problems: lazy eye, crossed eyes, drooping of the eyelid, color blindness, nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism.
Take this time to discuss the importance of eye safety with your children. And be sure your child always wears protective eyewear while playing sports and that they are always playing with age-appropriate toys that have no sharp pieces.
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