We know that August is usually the month that involves back-to-school shopping and rushing around to make sure your kids are ready for the upcoming school year. Making sure they’re learning at their best potential is at the top of your priority list, so don’t lose sight of what’s important: their eyesight.

Many children won’t realize if their eyesight is less than 20/20, leading them to have issues in the classroom, so it’s important to make sure their eyes are in tip-top shape!

That’s why during August, we’re focusing on children’s eye health and safety to help them see and learn better.

Some of the most common eye problems among children include:

Amblyopia (lazy eye): This is the leading cause of vision problems in children, especially since it can be hard to recognize without an eye exam. Amblyopia involves one, or rarely, both eyes being weak and unable to move properly. This can cause double-vision, differences in vision, poor depth perception and more.

Strabismus (crossed eyes): This involves both eyes turning inward or outward, and can lead to amblyopia if not corrected early enough. Making sure to catch this early enough can decrease the chances of amblyopia and other vision problems resulting from it.

Myopia (nearsightedness) or Hyperopia (farsightedness): This is a deficiency in visual acuity. Luckily, it can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses! If not caught early, it can lead to children being unable to learn as they can’t read the whiteboard or other materials in school.

Colour Deficiency (colour-blindness): If your child is colour blind, they might not be able to distinguish between colours. You may notice this if children are uninterested in colouring or are colouring things with the wrong colours, for example, a purple sky and red grass.

Noticing and catching these issues in your children early is important in treating them. There are some ways that you’ll be able to tell if your child is experiencing vision problems:

Frequent eye rubbing
Frequent blinking
Disinterest in colouring sheets
Tilting the head to one side or closing one eye
Holding books or other reading materials too close
Complaining of seeing double
Complaints of headaches
An eye or both eyes turning in or out

Making sure your children’s eye health is at the best it can be is going to help them excel in their learning and enjoy school more. Luckily, Alberta Health Care provides full coverage of comprehensive eye exams for children aged 0-18.

Ensure you book in with Beyond Vision for your child’s eye exam before the school year starts and help them be at their highest learning potential!