Does my child need an eye exam if they’ve been screened at school?

Kerrisdale’s Day was a success at Avenue Eyecare.  Many parents booked their kids for their first eye exam for the school year. On many occasions, I was asked about the difference between the school’s vision screening and an eye exam with a doctor of optometry. I hope this post answers this common confusion.

Kid’s Vision Screening

Vancouver Coastal Health’s public health staff screen for vision problems in young children aged three and five.  Three year olds are screened in a variety settings including preschools, daycares and other community locations where children learn and play.  Five year olds are screened at school.

During the vision screening, the child’s vision will be measured by a hand held vision screener that the child looks at.  Depth perception is checked using a matching game that the child plays with using special glasses.  After the screening, children who require follow-up are encouraged to visit an eye care professional such as an optometrist.

A vision screening cannot diagnose exactly what is wrong with your child’s eyes; instead, it can indicate that you should make an appointment for an eye exam.

Child’s Eye Exam

A kid’s eye exam is usually performed by an eye care professional such as an optometrist.  They will evaluate your kid’s health/vision history, refraction/visual acuity testing (glasses prescription if needed), binocular vision (muscle function), visual field(side vision test), and eye health.

The doctor will be able to determine if the visual problems are from a refractive error (ie. eyeglass prescription related), muscle, or disease-related problem.

Now what?  

1 in every 5 children has a vision disorder and 80% of what a child learns from is from their eyes. Every child between the age of 6 months to 18 years should have their eyes checked annually.  The vision screening program is great and has referred us many children with vision problems. However, it is not a replacement for an eye exam. I have seen some children with eye problems who has passed the screening. On the flip side, I have also seen children who have failed the screening but were perfectly fine.At Avenue Eyecare, the exams are fully covered by BC Care Card and there is no extra cost to the parents.  If you have any questions or concern, feel free to contact us.

Dr. Sherman Tung, OD FAAO

drtung@avenueeyecare.com
Vancouver Kerrisdale Optometrist

Contact Avenue Eyecare to book your appointment today.

What’s the difference between an infant and an adult eye exam?

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When I give community education seminars to mom and tot groups,
parents are often surprised that children as young as 6 months old can
get their eyes examined.  Parents are so used to having to answer
“which is better, one or two?” and since their babies can’t speak,
they assume they’re too young for an eye exam.  Optometrists use
different techniques for infant eye exams that don’t require speech.
For example, we use a retinoscope to estimate a baby’s prescription.
Your baby will need to focus on an object (we use videos at Avenue
Eyecare) and with the use of handheld lenses and the retinoscope, we
look at the reflex of light from your baby’s retina to ensure their
prescription is in the normal range for their age.  Another important
thing to check for is eye alignment.  This is simply done by observing
how their eyes work together while following and object (usually  toy)
and measuring how evenly light reflexes line up on the cornea.  We
also screen your child’s eyes for congenital diseases such as
congenital cataracts and retinoblastoma.

We’ll be at the “bellies to babies” convention this Sunday from
11am-4pm at the Croatian cultural centre.  If you’re interested in
learning more or looking at some of the equipment we use, come visit
us at our booth.  We will have some great prizes and giveaways.

Here’s the link to the event:http://belliestobabiescelebration.com/

Dr. Jessica Chang, OD drchang@avenueeyecare.com

Back to School

It’s September and that means kids are heading back to school.  While parents are preparing their kids for a new school year by purchasing school supplies and meeting new teachers, it might be easy to overlook their child’s vision.  Over 80% of a child’s learning is based on their vision.  Did you know that 1 in 5 children has a vision disorder and about 86% of children start school without ever having a comprehensive eye exam?  Most children would not know their vision is poor and may just accept poor vision and other eye problems as normal. If left unnoticed, serious long-term effects may result.

At Avenue Eyecare, we recommend eye examination for children as early as the age of 6 months and annually thereafter.  Eye examinations for children (Under the age of 19) are fully covered by their BC Medical Carecard.  School screenings are not designed to replace a full comprehensive eye examination.  At Avenue Eyecare, we further test how well the eyes work together as a team at tasks such as reading and computer work, as well as assess the health of the eyes.

If your children show of these warning signs, it would be a good idea for an eye examination:

1. Loses place while reading or uses finger to maintain place when reading
2. Avoids close work or struggles to complete homework
3. Tends to rub eyes or excessive blinking
4. Has headaches
5. Turns or tilts head
6. Makes frequent reversals when reading or writing
7. Omits or confuses small words when reading
8. Consistently performs below potential
9. Squints while reading or watching television
10. Holds reading material closer than normal

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s vision, please call our office to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Sherman Tung OD, FAAO drtung@avenueeyecare.com

Quick Update:  Winners for the $50 Futureshop Cards are: Natalie Shum, Derek Jang, Jeffrey Ho, Cornelia Chiu and Gail Tse.  Congratulations!