1 in 4 school-age children has a vision disorder.
(Press Release) CHICAGO – As children in most parts of the country head back to school, Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest non-profit eye health and safety group, asks all parents and caregivers to set their child on a path to success in the classroom with a certified vision screening or eye exam.
More than one in 20 preschool-age children and one in four school-age children have a vision disorder. The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) issued a comprehensive report, “Children’s Vision and Eye Health: A Snapshot of Current National Issues,” detailing the link between healthy vision and the impact it may have on learning:
- Visual functioning is a strong predictor of academic performance in school-age children.
- Uncorrected refractive errors in infants and preschool-age children are associated with developmental delays, as well as with clinically identified deficits in cognitive and visual-motor functions that may in turn affect school readiness.
- Vision disorders of childhood may continue to affect health and well-being throughout the adult years.
Prevent Blindness has declared August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness month to inspire parents to make their child’s vision health a priority. Prevent Blindness recommends a continuum of eyecare for children to include both vision screening and comprehensive eye examinations.
To support children’s vision programs, OCuSOFT Inc., a privately held eye and skin care company dedicated to innovation in eyelid hygiene and ocular health, has agreed to donate 10 percent of all online sales to Prevent Blindness during August’s Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month.
For more information on children’s eye health and safety, the NCCVEH, or financial assistance programs, call Prevent Blindness at (800) 331-2020 or visit preventblindness.org.