Are your kids’ eyes fit for school – the importance of getting your kids eyes checked

If your kids are back to school, you’ve probably bought them a new uniform, a new backpack and plenty of school supplies but did you think about getting their eyes checked before sending them to school – or in fact, ever? New research conducted by UK eye hospital group Optegra Eye Health Care, who offer laser eye surgery and other forms of treatment all across the UK, suggests that while over 90% of parents take their kids for regular immunisations, they completely forget about their kids’ eyes with only one in five parents realising the need for regular eye tests in children.

The impact of bad vision on your child’s learning

Dr. Clare O’Donnell from Optegra Eye Health Care, says: “It is so easy to focus on perfect school uniform, smart haircuts, PE kits and pencil cases. And it is easy to forget a really important test – your child’s eyesight. A simple, quick and free eye test can reassure you that your child’s vision is as good as it can be, or recommend glasses if necessary. If children cannot see clearly, working with a whiteboard or close-up paperwork can prove a huge and avoidable challenge.”

A challenge that can cause severe problems in your child’s education and confidence. Did you know that a whopping 80 percent of what your child learns every single day is through their sight? And that’s not everything, not correcting any problems in time can seriously affect their ability to read, learn, take part in sports, and ultimately their opportunities and wellbeing in life.

5 symptoms that your child might need glasses

To make sure that your kids’ eyes are ready for school, ensure that you get their eyesight tested at least once a year or should you spot one or more of the following symptoms:

1. Your child is struggling with close-up school work or reading
2. Your child is unable to see the whiteboard at school
3. Your child is squinting or screwing up their eyes
4. Your child’s eyes not moving together
5. Your child is falling behind with school work or their homework is taking much longer than it should

While not all of these symptoms mean that your child has bad eyesight, some might simply be a bad habit, others learning difficulties that you should look into, they can be indicators of a potential issue.

A mole with perfect eyes

I’ve been squinting my eyes when I’m reading ever since I can remember and my Nan was convinced that I had problems with my eyes one half-term, so she took me to get my eyes tested and to her surprise, my vision was completely fine. This is a good 22 years ago and she still can’t get over the fact that I squint like a mole (her words, not mine and I think she’s completely exaggerating) and have perfect vision but it could not have been and I think it’s great that she cared enough to get it checked out as it could have severely affected my school life.

Thanks to the NHS, annual eye tests and glasses are free for children under 16 or those between 16 and 18 and in full-time education, so do make sure you to use this service to make sure your kids’ vision is as good as it can be. While years ago, most schools offered a vision screening for their students, not all of them do nowadays, so don’t rely on your kids’ school to do your homework. Be smart and get their eyes checked!

How often, if ever, have you taken your kids to get their eyes checked?