Does Your Child Need Glasses? (and a GIVEAWAY!)

Thanks to Think About Your Eyes for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Have your kids ever had an eye exam? I’ll admit I’m slacking off on this. One of my twins has been having some eye issues since birth so we are working on getting her into an eye specialist right now. It’s gotten me thinking about whether or not my other kids should be seeing an eye doctor.

My kids have only had the basic eye exam at the pediatrician’s office and I suspect my oldest probably needs glasses. It’s been on my to-do list for a while to take him (and the others) in but it’s one of those things that just doesn’t really feel urgent so it keeps getting pushed back.

It turns out I’m not alone. Do you realize that only 2 in 5 parents believe that an eye exam is essential to a child’s healthy checkup schedule.

Yikes! I need to get my act in gear.

I should know better considering my own eye issues. I was 12 years old before I realized trees had leaves. Actually, that’s not quite true. I knew they were there, I just didn’t realize that other people were actually able to see them. I grew up in Virginia so every fall we were buried in leaves as they fell from the trees that towered over my house. My eyesight was so bad that I’d never been able to make out the sharp outline of a leaf on a tree. I just though trees were big green blobs.

I finally went to an eye doctor after complaining that I couldn’t see the chalkboard at school (yes, we had chalkboards back then). My prescription was ridiculously strong. I should have been wearing glasses for years. Now my eyes are so bad that I can’t see my alarm clock when I’m lying in bed less than a foot away.

 

Did you know that the American Optometric Association recommends that even kids who do NOT wear glasses see an eye doctor every 2 years? There are so many things that an optometrist looks for. It’s about more than just glasses. Living in San Diego we also have to watch out for UV damage. I try and get my kids to wear sunglasses whenever I can but we are not as consistent as we should be. An eye exam can catch any UV damage or other issues before they get worse.

Protecting your vision is definitely not something to take lightly. As someone who has terrible eyesight, I want to make sure my kids get started off right (and we’ll just keep our fingers crossed they didn’t inherit my vision problems).

What are the signs that your child needs glasses?

The American Optometric Association recommends that children receive at least three eye exams by age 6. I wish I’d known that when my older kids were younger. My oldest is almost 12 and has never been to the eye doctor but that’s changing very soon. Most parents (84%) don’t take their kids to see an eye doctor until their child starts to complain about their vision.

What are some of the signs that your child may need glasses?

• Squinting, closing or covering one eye
• One or both eyes turning in or out
• Constantly holding materials close to the face
• Repeatedly rubbing eyes
• Continued redness or tearing
• Family history of vision problems
• Tilting their head
• Difficulty keeping their place while reading or skipping lines
• Frequent headaches, watery eyes or dry eyes
• Sitting at the front of the classroom in order to see or sitting close to the TV
• Bad behavior or problems in the classroom

If you notice any of these behaviors in your child, it’s time to make an eye appointment right away. To find an eye doctor near you, visit Think About Your Eyes. Follow Think About Your Eyes on Facebook and Twitter.

Enter to Win

We have a great giveaway package from Think About Your Eyes to help one lucky reader take better care of their eyes. This giveaway is worth almost $300 and includes:

• Eye Care Essentials
  • Chelsea Morgan sunglasses from VisionWorks ($139)
  • Computer glasses from Chemistrie ($65)
  • Lens care kit from Hilco ($50)
  • Eyeglass case
  • Eyeglass holders
  • Cleaner and cloth
• Eye health kit from Alcon ($32)
  • Systane Ultra Lubricant Eye Drops
  • Systane Balance Lubricant Eye Drops
  • Systane Lid Wipes (for makeup removal)
  • Zaditor Eye Drops (allergy)

a Rafflecopter giveaway