- Vision problems are common in children, with one in four school-aged children having some form of vision impairment if left untreated. - The most common causes of vision problems in children are congenital cataracts, retinopathy of prematurity, and preventable eye injuries from sports, toys, and household chemicals. - Early and regular eye exams are important to detect vision problems early and prevent long-term issues with learning, development, and quality of life. Comprehensive exams can identify conditions like convergence insufficiency that may otherwise be misdiagnosed.

1. Children's Eye Health A Lenscrafters Presentation LC

2. 12.1 million school age children or one in four have vision impairment One in Twenty pre-school age children has a vision problem if left untreated will cause permanent sight loss

3. Most common causes of blindness among children are: congenital cataracts plus retinopathy and other complications due to prematurity 90% of all eye injuries and 50% of all cases of blindness are preventable

4. Most common causes of eye injury to children Sports without eye protection Toys Pens & pencils Cigarettes & cigars Furniture Household chemicals

5. 90% of all sports related eye injuries are preventable Only 15% of children wear eye protection

6. Seek medical attention if: Child has pain or trouble seeing Eye does not move as well as the other eye Eye sticks out more than other eye Eye has unusual pupil size or shape Blood in clear area of eye

7. Eye protection for all sports and swimming Protection for all eyes from the sun

8. Supervise children using pencils, scissors, tools Select age appropriate toys avoiding projectile toys like: darts, bow and arrows, missile firing toys and pellet firing guns Keep all chemicals and sprays secured

9. Children don’t know how they should be seeing The AOA recommends eye and vision exams by six months of age At three years Before first grade Every year between ages 6-18

10. Up to 10% of preschoolers have vision problems 25% of school age children have vision problems Early eye exams crucial to insure proper vision allowing them to perform better in school and play Timely eye exams will identify eye problems early

11. Comprehensive eye exams can detect visual disorders that affect your child’s: Ability to learn Placement in special education programs Future success Propensity to require social welfare services later Potential diagnosis as ADHD

12. Watch for these signs of potential vision problems: Sitting too close to TV or holding book close Sensitivity to light or excessive tearing Complaining of headaches or tired eyes Closing one eye to read or watch TV Avoiding activities requiring near vision Squinting or tilting head to see better

13. Symptoms for ADHD and Convergence Insufficiency (CI) overlap About 25% of school age children have vision issues Some are labeled as learning disabled, ADD, ADHD, or just plain lazy Some exhibit behavior problems because of difficulty concentrating up close, focusing, or keeping their eyes on the page

14. ADD, ADHD, and similar diagnosis cannot be made by teachers or school administrators alone, but by a team of education and health professionals including an Optometrist The evaluation should always include a comprehensive examination of visual and auditory skills to rule out visual and auditory processing

15. Leading cause of blurred vision, eye strain, double vision and headaches Interferes with a persons ability to see, read, learn and work at close distances Goes undetected without comprehensive vision exam Vision therapy can correct most cases without any surgery involved

16. More than just eye exercises, it also includes: Supervision by optometric vision care professional Corrective lenses Therapeutic lenses Prism lenses (available at Lenscrafters) Optical filters Computer software Electronic targets Visual-motor-sensory training devices

17. Everything we do at LensCrafters is because We love taking care of eyes We are the eye care company We feel the gift of sight is a precious one We feel it should be cherished and well cared for LensCrafters loves your eyes LC