Typically your child’s school may do certain screenings in the fall and in the spring. One of these screenings is a vision screening. Usually it consists of your child covering one eye and reading letters on a chart of a wall at a specific distance then switching to the other eye and reading the letters on the wall again. Depending upon the age of your child and what your child’s school has access to for technology they may also look into a hand held device that measures a rough idea of the prescription your child may have in each eye.
There are standards that your child needs to meet with their vision or with the amount of prescription that is found to pass the screening. If your child does not meet those standards then you will receive a letter from your school nurse stating your child needs to have a comprehensive eye examination by an eye doctor.
This screening is not a comprehensive eye exam which is a common misconception. The goal of the screening is to flag abnormal or questionable findings so that an eye doctor can do a thorough examination to find out why the screening was abnormal.
A comprehensive eye exam includes a vision check, color vision check, depth perception, eye tracking skills, refraction, and dilated look inside the eyes. In general it is recommended that all children have annual comprehensive eye exams to monitor for changes in vision, tracking abilities, binocular vision and ocular health. If you received a note from your school nurse or have any concerns with your children’s eyes please call to schedule an eye exam today (860) 233-2020.