The

children have been back in school for over a week now.

You have completed the back to school shopping, but have

you taken the kids in for their back to school eye exams?

Before a

child enters school in Georgia, he/she must have an eye

exam, but it is important for your child to have annual

back to school eye exams, particularly during the growth

years.

"A

child's vision may experience frequent changes and he or

she may not realize a problm exists," said Dr. Brian

Kahn, president of the Georgia Optometric Association.

"Problems may range from seeing a blurred chalkboard

to reading difficulties and poor concentration stemming

from poor eye movement, focusing and coordination."

There are a

number of syptoms that may indicate a vision problem in

your child, including a short attention span or frequent

daydreaming, a dislike and avoidance of close work, poor

hand-eye coordination when copying, throwing, buttoning

clothing or tying shoes, a drop in scholastic

performance, or frequent eye rubbing, squinting, blinking

or headaches.

Eighty

percent of what a child learns in school comes through

vision. Any visual problem can dramatically affect a

child's ability to learn.

The first

eye exam should occur whan a child is 3 years old.

Through a routine examination, an optometrist can

determine if there is a tendency toward nearsightedness,

farsightedness, astigmatism, lazy eye (amblyopia) or

crossed eyes. The second eye exam should be at the age of

5 and should then be followed up annually.

"With

today's diagnostic equipment, children do not have to be

able to read or even to talk well to have their eyes

examined," explains Kahn. Locating a possible

problem early on can prevent difficulties and

misdiagnosis early on. Many of the syptoms of poor vision

can be attributed to hyperactivity, attention deficit

disorder, or learning disabilities.

School

should be a fascinating and fun environment for children

and by eliminating sources of discomfort it can be.

"It is

too important not to give every child every advantage to

excel in school," says Kahn. "A child's vision

skills are integral to a positive learning

experience."

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