Why School Vision Screenings Are Not Enough

By Afsoon Khoshnevis, OD

Oliver Opticians

. http://www.oliveropticians.com/

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Why School Vision Screenings Are Not Enough

I recently attended a high school graduation of one of my dear patients who had had saved a place for me among her family attending. We first met when her mother brought her in for an eye exam in 2004. When I tested her eyes I was surprised to find a significant focusing weakness; her focusing amplitude was that of a 50-year-old person. It was such a surprise because she was an excellent student. I could not believe how much she had to overcome to see up close without glasses.

A few weeks after the exam, her mother called with a gratifying story. She had gone to the school to check to see why her daughter's assignments were taking less time than before. She was told that nothing had changed; the nightly assignments were given equally every night. The mother informed her teacher that her daughter normally took a few hours to complete her assignments, but had recently been finished in under an hour. The teacher was surprised and accredited her new glasses.

The point to be made is that this 20/20 student was in need of reading glasses. Many schools have incorporated near vision testing in school, but a routine eye exam is not replaceable due to numerous vision, focusing, eye teaming, and eye muscle disorders, not including eye health conditions. These conditions can make learning very challenging. Many focusing (accommodating) disorders can be detected during an eye exam. If a student skips words, uses his/her finger to follow the line, or gets sleepy while reading, these are signs that he may need reading glasses or vision therapy.

Farsightedness is a vision error that distance vision is usually good and near vision is difficult. This error can create issues for students, both visually and behaviorally. Many students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are farsighted or have weakness of eye muscles affecting reading, concentration, and behavior. Farsighted students have to focus at various distances, and that creates extra noise in the brain.

A routine eye exam is crucial in a student's learning and achievements through school and life, and if a student is thought to have ADD/ADHD, have his/her eyes and ears tested before a final diagnosis is made. A pair of glasses or vision therapy may help your student become top of his class.