Posts Tagged ‘vision problems’
Posted on September 1st, 2011 by Alex
Did you know that 80% of what you learn is through your eyes? And, more than 60% of children with learning problems have undiagnosed vision problems?
Many parents rely on school vision screenings to check for vision problems. Here’s why that isn’t enough:
- The main point of school vision screenings is to check how well a child can read a chart from 20 feet away (called distance vision) – this is by no means a comprehensive eye exam.
- Problems with seeing close-up (near vision) are not always tested during a screening.
- A child can easily pass a vision screening, but not see well enough to read a book.
- Vision screenings are extremely difficult for children less than 4 years of age.
- Vision screenings can miss some of the most common vision problems, including eye coordination (making sure both eyes are working together), lazy eye and farsightedness.
- Only an annual eye exam can check the health of an eye and ensure that they are disease-free.
As students around the country begin to go back to school, remember to make an appointment for your child to receive a comprehensive eye exam in order for them to maximize their ability to learn. Many parents do not know about the challenges students face, such as needing glasses, until they take their child in for a comprehensive eye exam. Check out SeeMuchMore.com and learn how you can give your child the best chance.
To support VSP in our mission to increase access to quality eyecare for thousands of children in need, please take the free Eye Pledge. When you pledge to take care of your eyes VSP will direct a gift certificate for an eye exam and glasses to a Boys & Girls Club member in need in your community.
Take the VSP Eye Pledge now and help a child be better prepared to go back to school and learn to his or her full potential!
File under: eye health, vision benefits | Tagged: best vision insurance, childrens vision, eye exam, farsightedness, lazy eye, see much more, seemuchmore.com, vision problems, vision screenings, vsp eye pledge, vsp vision insurance
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Posted on March 4th, 2011 by Jill N
Jill N, a.k.a. Eye Need Coffee Mommy, is proud new mom to AJ, who apparently was very excited to learn that his first eye exam is schedule for mid-April
Time is flying by. AJ is now 6 months old and continues to change daily! It is amazing to watch, especially as he reaches some exciting milestones.
His vision has improved immensely in the last few months. He is reaching and grabbing for things, can see further across the room and is getting better at his hand eye coordination (although he still seems to like jabbing the bottle into his eye instead of his mouth, but that may be a whole other issue…)
Even though he seems to be progressing normally, as a new mom, I’m constantly worried that I may be missing something. So I asked Dr. Parenti for some specific symptoms/behaviors I, and other paranoid new moms, could look for that may be a sign there is a problem. Here is what he shared:
Be sure to contact your doctor if:
- Your baby’s eyes don’t move normally. For example, one moves and the other doesn’t, or one looks different from the other when moving.
- Your baby is older than one month, but lights, mobiles, and other distractions still don’t catch his attention.
- Your baby is older than five months but his eyes are still crossing.
- Your baby has a persistent, unusual spot in his eyes in photos taken with a flash (like a white spot instead of a common red-eye caused by a flash).
- You notice white, grayish-white, or yellow material in the pupil of your baby’s eye.
- One, or both, of your baby’s eyes is bulging.
- Redness in either eye lasts more than a few days.
- Your baby’s eyes seem to tear excessively.
- One, or both, of your baby’s eyelids seem to be drooping.
- Your baby squints often.
- He rubs his eyes often when he’s not sleepy.
Dr. Parenti also mentioned that newborns should be able to momentarily hold their gaze on an object for a few seconds, and by 8-12 weeks they should start to follow people or moving objects with their eyes. At first, they have to move their whole head to move their eyes, but by 2-4 months, should start to move their eyes independently with less head movement. If this isn’t happening, be sure to talk with your pediatrician or eye doctor.
As I’ve noted before, your baby’s first eye exam is recommended around the age of six months. At this exam, your eye care practitioner will also check the health of your baby’s eyes and look for anything that might interfere with normal and continuing vision development. For the most thorough eye exam for your 6-month-old, you will want to seek the services of an eye doctor who specializes in children’s vision and vision development. To help you identify doctors near you who specialize in this, use the “Advanced Search” option under “Find a VSP Doctor” at vsp.com.
File under: eye exam | Tagged: baby's eyes, children, eye exams, infant vision development, vision problems, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on June 4th, 2010 by Lisa P.
File under: Contests, eye health, Frames & Lenses, Fun, Top Posts | Tagged: 3-D, 3-D TV, Alice in Wonderland, Avatar, Bill Nye, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Clash of the Titans, computer vision syndrome, Educational, eye exam, eye health, eye health myths, eyecare, eyes hurt, Eyes of Nye, Eyesight, films, Fun, health, kids, motion sickness, movies, mythbusters, Myths, optometrist, Real D, safety, sea sick, Shrek 3-D, stereopsis, stereoscopic, symptoms, teachers, three d, vertigo, vision problems, Vision Service Plan, VSP, VSP doctor, vsp insurance, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on May 27th, 2010 by Liz B.
Was Bugs Bunny right? Do carrots really improve your eye sight? Well, not exactly. Eating carrots won’t make you see better than you already do, but Bugs’ favorite snack is packed with important vitamins and nutrients that can help protect vision. This is just one example of a common eye myth that has led to confusion about vision health and proper eyecare habits.
To help educate Americans on eye health and debunk common myths, VSP has created a series of webisodes called VSP EyeFiles featuring the iconic Bill Nye the Science Guy and Dr, Roger Phelps, a VSP provider.
As part of this initiative, VSP Vision Care sent an online survey to VSP doctors across the country, asking them for the most common vision-related myths they hear from their patients on a regular basis.
The VSP doctor myth research survey revealed that:
Myth: Working many hours in front of a computer screen will harm your eyes.
Fact: 31 percent of doctors say they hear this myth on a daily basis. Although using computers will not damage vision, fatigue, headaches, neck pain or eye strain may occur with use over extended periods of time. This overuse can result in a serious condition called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). To help prevent CVS remember the 20-20-20 rule; every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away.
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File under: Top Posts | Tagged: 3-D, 3-D TV, Alice in Wonderland, Avatar, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Clash of the Titans, computer vision syndrome, Educational, eye exam, eye health, eye health myths, eyecare, eyes hurt, Eyes of Nye, Eyesight, films, Fun, health, kids, motion sickness, movies, mythbusters, Myths, optometrist, Real D, safety, sea sick, Shrek 3-D, stereopsis, stereoscopic, symptoms, teachers, three d, Top Posts, vertigo, vision problems, Vision Service Plan, VSP, VSP doctor, vsp insurance, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on May 25th, 2010 by Liz B.
Without further ado… here’s the first official EyeFiles video featuring the one and only Bill Nye the Science Guy! In this video, Bill examines the claim that 3-D movies can make you feel sick or dizzy. Is it true….?
What do you think? Curious to hear the thoughts of Dr. Kevin Pho, Jesus Diaz, FitSugar, Ken Denmead, and Richard Lawler on the topic as well.
File under: Uncategorized | Tagged: 3-D, 3-D TV, Alice in Wonderland, Avatar, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Clash of the Titans, computer vision syndrome, Educational, eye exam, eye health, eye health myths, eyecare, eyes hurt, Eyes of Nye, Eyesight, films, Fun, health, kids, motion sickness, movies, mythbusters, Myths, optometrist, Real D, safety, sea sick, Shrek 3-D, stereopsis, stereoscopic, symptoms, teachers, three d, Top Posts, vertigo, vision problems, Vision Service Plan, VSP, VSP doctor, vsp insurance, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on January 4th, 2010 by Liz B.
Focus on Vision, a Dutch company, produces very low cost adjustable glasses for the developing world. The company says it can produce its Focusspec glasses for about $4 a pair, a price its founders say will fall substantially, once the glasses are made in large volume. -Michel de Groot for The International Herald Tribune
Interesting article from the New York Times, discussing the staggering cost of poor eyesight around the world … “A study published in a World Health Organization journal in June estimated the cost in lost output at $269 billion a year.” Wow.
The article goes on to highlight several efforts to distribute inexpensive glasses throughout the world on a large scale including technology such as self-adjusting glasses (see Vernon D’s post about this technology).
Here is an excerpt of the article by Douglas Heingartner and a link for the full deal …
VEGHEL, the Netherlands — With AIDS, malaria and other diseases costing millions of lives every year, worrying about the vision of people in the developing world may seem like an indulgence.
But supplying glasses for the world’s poor may be one of the most valuable investments around. Hundreds of millions of people — some put the estimates as high as two billion — do not have the corrective lenses that would allow them to lead better, more productive lives.
A study published in a World Health Organization journal in June estimated the cost in lost output at $269 billion a year. Moreover, tackling vision problems early can help prevent later blindness.
Read entire article
Via New York Times
File under: Frames & Lenses, Technology | Tagged: blindness, corrective lenses, Douglas Heingartner, Eyesight, inexpensive glasses, New York Times, self-adjusting glasses, vision, vision problems, World Health Organization
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