As children go back to school, we would like to share the following regarding eye and vision health.

According to the California Department of Youth Authority, 70% of juvenile delinquents in their custody tested positive for vision problems.  With therapy, the percentage of repeat offenders declined from 45% to 16%. Vision problems clearly affect the wellbeing of our children and our community.

Is having 20/20 vision enough? Did you know that the basic eye chart tests only your ability to see, compared to the average person, from a distance of 20 feet.  The chart does not assess over twenty necessary visual skills!

• There is a difference between sight and vision.  Sight is your eyes' response to light and your ability to see.  Vision is the ability to interpret and understand the information we see.

• The visual system uses sixty-five percent of all our brains pathways.

• Eighty percent of what you perceive, comprehend, and remember depends on the efficiency of the visual system.

According to the American Optometric Association, your child should have their first eye exam at 6 months old, and then again at 3 years old, and at 5 years old or before kindergarten. After the age of 6, exams should be repeated every two years provided there are no vision problems.

• Ask your eye doctor to evaluate not only your sight but also:
  • Eye tracking
  • Focusing near to far
  • Sustaining clear focus up close
  • Eye teaming ability
  • Depth perception
  • Visual motor integration
  • Visual form perception
  • Visual memory