This is known as hyperopia or farsightedness.

Some children may have good distance vision but may struggle when reading up close. And nearsightedness can change very quickly, especially between the ages of 11 and 13, which means that an eye prescription can change rapidly over a short period of time. That’s why annual checkups are important.Ĭomprehensive eye exams can detect other eye conditions. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common condition in children and often develops around the ages of 6 or 7. This means a child may pass a vision screening at school because they are able to see the board, but they may not be able to see the words in the textbook in front of them.ĭid you know that 1 out of 4 children has an undiagnosed vision problem because changes in their eyesight go unrecognized? Where a screening tests only for visual acuity, comprehensive exams will test for acuity, chronic diseases, color vision and eye tracking. There are important differences between a screening and a comprehensive eye exam. But this can provide a false sense of security.

School screenings are simply 'pass-fail tests' that are often limited to measuring a child’s sight clarity and visual acuity up to a distance of 20 feet. The difference between eye exams and vision screeningsĪn annual exam done by an eye doctor is more focused than a visual screening done at school. No amount of new clothes, backpacks, or supplies will allow your child to reach their potential in school if they have an undetected vision problem. Is making an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam for your children on your back-to-school checklist? It needs to be.

My weird school checklist