school

Age Related Macular Degeneration	Astigmatism	Cataracts	Contact Lenses
Convergence Problems	Diabetes	Vision and Driving	Regular Eye Examinations
Floaters & Spots	Glaucoma	Hyperopia	Keratoconus
Lazy Eye	Myopia	Parents Guide to Children's Vision	Patient Rights
Presbyopia	Pterygium	Vision & School Achievement	Vision and Computers
TV and Vision	UV Light	Find your Nearest Optometrist	Children's Vision Campaign

Convergence Problems

Diabetes

Vision and Driving

Regular Eye Examinations

Floaters & Spots

Glaucoma

Hyperopia

Keratoconus

Lazy Eye

Myopia

Parents Guide to Children's Vision

Patient Rights

Presbyopia

Pterygium

Vision & School Achievement

Vision and Computers

TV and Vision

UV Light

Find your Nearest Optometrist

Children's Vision Campaign

Vision and School Achievement

Many schools and parent groups render a valuable service to the vision conservation of the school child by conducting preventive education and vision screening programs. While even the best school vision screening programs fail to detect all children who are in need of professional care and sometimes refer those whose vision is adequate, the value of such programs is unquestionable. Every school should offer the best screening program possible within the limits of available resources. The limitations of the Snellen chart at six metres as a sole criterion for vision screening are now well known. Numerous other tests have been developed and are readily available for school use to help determine which children need professional care. An Important part of any screening program is the observant parent or teacher who watches for symptoms of vision problems, particularly while the child is reading.

Symptoms to watch for:

Losing place while reading
Avoiding close work
Body rigidity while looking at distant objects
Holding reading material closer than normal
Excessive head movements
Tilting head to one side
Tending to rub eyes
Thrusting head forward
Headache Tension during close work
Little or no voluntary reading at home
Poor sitting posture and position, or facial distortions while reading such as frowning, excessive blinking, scowling, or squinting.

In general, any child in the lower third of the class should have a complete eye examination, particularly if he or she seems to have ability to achieve a higher level. Any child who is not working within reasonable limits of his or her own capacity should also have a complete vision examination.

Homework corner

The school child should have a suitable place for homework - a corner, if not a room, that is his or her own. Such a place should be evenly lighted, without glare and without large dark areas. If possible, the room should be painted in light pastel colours that reflect rather than absorb light. It should be comfortable and attractive and a place the child likes. Chair and table should be of the right size for proper posture. Small children should have reading matter of large type; the smaller the child, the larger the type. Children below the third grade should not concentrate for more than 15 or 20 minutes on close work without looking up to relax their eye muscles and whole bodies.

Vision examination

Modern optometry is based on the concept of functional vision. This takes into account not only the shape of the eyeball, but also the entire vision process, both physiological and psychological. Any complete vision examination for a child cannot be done hurriedly. It often takes an hour for all the necessary tests and sometimes more than one visit. A case history is an essential part of a child's vision examination. It should include symptoms observed by parents and teachers, general health history, developmental history and the child's attitude towards school and play activities.
There should be a thorough examination for eye disease.
Both the examination and correction provided should pertain to actual use of vision in normal tasks.

Correction

For refractive errors (such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism) either conventional glasses or contact lenses (for the older child) are usually prescribed. Lenses may also be prescribed to enable the child to function with greater ease and efficiency.

Vision training or orthoptics is the answer to many problems of muscle imbalance, where the two eyes do not work together as they should. It is often the means by which strabismus (crossed eyes) may be corrected. Sometimes a child may be trained to improve the vision of a lazy eye (amblyopia).

The optometrists advice should be followed on how to use the eyes, on when to wear glasses (for reading, play, all school work, etc.) and on proper light and proper posture for closework. All of these are important in correcting vision problems.

With the aid of modern science all but a few children can have their vision brought up to par.

Few health problems respond so completely to proper professional care.

Elements of good school vision.

Near vision

- ability to focus and see clearly and comfortably with both eyes and each eye separately at a distance of about 40 centimetres. This is the distance at which most school desk work is done.

Distance vision

– the same as above for a distance of six metres or more. This is necessary to see the blackboard, to enjoy films and television, and to engage in sports.

Binocular co-ordination

- ability to make the two eyes work together. This is necessary for art work, handicrafts and play activities, as well as to read efficiently.

Adequate field of vision

- ability to see both sides and up and down while focussing on a small target. This saves unnecessary eye and head movements and is essential for participation in sports and for personal safety.

These and many other requirements for adequate vision must be considered in a complete Vision analysis, especially for the school child. Because most school tasks are performed within arm's length. It is not enough to determine whether a child can read the Snellen chart at six metres or to prescribe corrective lenses to bring them up to that ability. How well children's visual capabilities are geared for all of the normal demands made on them, particularly the need for sustained, nearpoint vision performance, must also be determined.

Vision screening
The Optometrists Association Australia recommends a complete, professional visual examination before a child enters kindergarten, and regular check-ups thereafter to provide maximum preventive care and early correction.

Importance of vision
More than 80 percent of all school tasks are based on vision. Vision is the key to a child's whole development, according to the Gesell Institute of Child Development. Not only school achievement but personality, posture, and adjustment to life are closely integrated with vision development.

Many slow readers have neglected vision problems.

Children's Vision Campaign

More than 660,000 Australian school aged children have some form of undetected vision defect that requires either immediate attention or ongoing assessment.

A major barrier to reducing this figure is communication. As vision problems tend to have a progressive nature, children will often assume that their poor vision is normal and representative of their peers; hence the problem is not communicated.

For this reason Optometrists Association Australia have developed the National Children's Vision Campaign for 2004. The campaign will provide parents and teachers with the knowledge they require to detect symptoms of vision problems among children, and provide them with the tools to communicate concerns, and refer parents with children who may have vision problems through to optometrists.

Optometrists Association Australia has developed materials for parents, teachers and optometrists. Please email: info@optomsqld.com to be included in the Children's Vision Campaign.


Vision and School Achievement Many schools and parent groups render a valuable service to the vision conservation of the school child by conducting preventive education and vision screening programs. While even the best school vision screening programs fail to detect all children who are in need of professional care and sometimes refer those whose vision is adequate, the value of such programs is unquestionable. Every school should offer the best screening program possible within the limits of available resources. The limitations of the Snellen chart at six metres as a sole criterion for vision screening are now well known. Numerous other tests have been developed and are readily available for school use to help determine which children need professional care. An Important part of any screening program is the observant parent or teacher who watches for symptoms of vision problems, particularly while the child is reading. Symptoms to watch for: Losing place while reading Avoiding close work Body rigidity while looking at distant objects Holding reading material closer than normal Excessive head movements Tilting head to one side Tending to rub eyes Thrusting head forward Headache Tension during close work Little or no voluntary reading at home Poor sitting posture and position, or facial distortions while reading such as frowning, excessive blinking, scowling, or squinting. In general, any child in the lower third of the class should have a complete eye examination, particularly if he or she seems to have ability to achieve a higher level. Any child who is not working within reasonable limits of his or her own capacity should also have a complete vision examination. Homework corner The school child should have a suitable place for homework - a corner, if not a room, that is his or her own. Such a place should be evenly lighted, without glare and without large dark areas. If possible, the room should be painted in light pastel colours that reflect rather than absorb light. It should be comfortable and attractive and a place the child likes. Chair and table should be of the right size for proper posture. Small children should have reading matter of large type; the smaller the child, the larger the type. Children below the third grade should not concentrate for more than 15 or 20 minutes on close work without looking up to relax their eye muscles and whole bodies. Vision examination Modern optometry is based on the concept of functional vision. This takes into account not only the shape of the eyeball, but also the entire vision process, both physiological and psychological. Any complete vision examination for a child cannot be done hurriedly. It often takes an hour for all the necessary tests and sometimes more than one visit. A case history is an essential part of a child's vision examination. It should include symptoms observed by parents and teachers, general health history, developmental history and the child's attitude towards school and play activities. There should be a thorough examination for eye disease. Both the examination and correction provided should pertain to actual use of vision in normal tasks. Correction For refractive errors (such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism) either conventional glasses or contact lenses (for the older child) are usually prescribed. Lenses may also be prescribed to enable the child to function with greater ease and efficiency. Vision training or orthoptics is the answer to many problems of muscle imbalance, where the two eyes do not work together as they should. It is often the means by which strabismus (crossed eyes) may be corrected. Sometimes a child may be trained to improve the vision of a lazy eye (amblyopia). The optometrists advice should be followed on how to use the eyes, on when to wear glasses (for reading, play, all school work, etc.) and on proper light and proper posture for closework. All of these are important in correcting vision problems. With the aid of modern science all but a few children can have their vision brought up to par. Few health problems respond so completely to proper professional care. Elements of good school vision. Near vision - ability to focus and see clearly and comfortably with both eyes and each eye separately at a distance of about 40 centimetres. This is the distance at which most school desk work is done. Distance vision – the same as above for a distance of six metres or more. This is necessary to see the blackboard, to enjoy films and television, and to engage in sports. Binocular co-ordination - ability to make the two eyes work together. This is necessary for art work, handicrafts and play activities, as well as to read efficiently. Adequate field of vision - ability to see both sides and up and down while focussing on a small target. This saves unnecessary eye and head movements and is essential for participation in sports and for personal safety. These and many other requirements for adequate vision must be considered in a complete Vision analysis, especially for the school child. Because most school tasks are performed within arm's length. It is not enough to determine whether a child can read the Snellen chart at six metres or to prescribe corrective lenses to bring them up to that ability. How well children's visual capabilities are geared for all of the normal demands made on them, particularly the need for sustained, nearpoint vision performance, must also be determined. Vision screening The Optometrists Association Australia recommends a complete, professional visual examination before a child enters kindergarten, and regular check-ups thereafter to provide maximum preventive care and early correction. Importance of vision More than 80 percent of all school tasks are based on vision. Vision is the key to a child's whole development, according to the Gesell Institute of Child Development. Not only school achievement but personality, posture, and adjustment to life are closely integrated with vision development. Many slow readers have neglected vision problems.

Children's Vision Campaign
More than 660,000 Australian school aged children have some form of undetected vision defect that requires either immediate attention or ongoing assessment. A major barrier to reducing this figure is communication. As vision problems tend to have a progressive nature, children will often assume that their poor vision is normal and representative of their peers; hence the problem is not communicated. For this reason Optometrists Association Australia have developed the National Children's Vision Campaign for 2004. The campaign will provide parents and teachers with the knowledge they require to detect symptoms of vision problems among children, and provide them with the tools to communicate concerns, and refer parents with children who may have vision problems through to optometrists. Optometrists Association Australia has developed materials for parents, teachers and optometrists. Please email: info@optomsqld.com to be included in the Children's Vision Campaign.