My son (5 years old) has been in speech therapy for a couple of years now. One of the first things we were asked to do with him was take him for a hearing test to make sure his speech delay wasn’t due to issues with his hearing. Makes sense, right? If he couldn’t hear us properly, I could understand how this could be an issue with his speech. His tests showed that there weren’t any issues with his hearing – unless I ask him to pick up his toys…then he suddenly can’t hear me. {wink} The second test they asked us to complete was an eye exam. I hadn’t made the connection between a speech delay and issues with his sight but it does make sense. A lot of his speech comes from watching our mouths move, playing games with us, following along as we read books to him, etc. so there’s certainly a connection there.
His eye exam results showed a slight issue with farsightedness meaning he can see objects far away really well but objects nearby may appear slightly blurry. The optometrist said that it’s common with kids and most outgrow it but it’s something we should monitor regularly.
Did you have your child’s eyes examined before school? According to the recent Loblaw Kids Eye Health survey, 35% of Canadian parents do not plan to have their child’s eyes examined before school begins. With Optical Departments conveniently located at select Loblaw locations (including Real Canadian Superstores), it’s so easy to make a quick appointment to have your child’s eyes checked. My son is 5 years old but he has already had three eye exams. It doesn’t matter if your child can’t read or recognize letters yet (to read the eye charts). There are several different tests they can do to check your child’s eye health.
Importance of Eye Exams for Kids:
Eye exams are important for kids as early as 6 months of age. Although eye exams are important for all children regardless of warning signs, here are some signs to watch out for:
- Having difficulty reading
- Sitting close to the TV or holding a book too close
- Frequent eye rubbing
- Sensitivity to light or excessive tearing
- Closing one eye to read or watch TV
- Avoiding using a computer because it hurts their eyes
- Having trouble seeing the chalkboard
- A sudden drop in grades
Did you know that other illnesses and conditions may be detected by eye exams including:
- Diabetes
- Vitamin A deficiency
- High blood pressure
- Retinal diseases
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Tumours
My son’s last eye exam was at a Loblaws store and they were excellent with him. They made it fun for my son so he was eager to participate. Eyeglasses can mean the difference between a child thriving at school or falling behind so we will continue to do regular eye exams annually.
Have you heard of the Kids See Free program? It is available at Optical Departments at select Real Canadian Superstore, Loblaws, Zehrs, Fortinos, Your Independent Grocer, Atlantic Superstore and Dominion (in Newfoundland) locations.
The Kids See Free program gives children 4 to 10 years old any frame valued up to $49 (including safe polycarbonate lenses) for free. Yes, FREE! You have the option to upgrade the frames or add any coatings to the lenses for an additional fee. It’s also quick! On-site optical labs make it easy to fill most eyewear prescriptions while busy moms and dads finish grocery shopping. You can’t get much more convenient than that!
Call your local location today to make an appointment for your child. When it comes to eye health, it’s important to catch any issues early.
*Disclosure: I was compensated for this post; however, all opinions expressed here are my own.