June 2014
SanTan
FAMILY FUN “An award-winning publication”
1
Eye exams important for children of all ages
A publication of the
SanTan Sun News
What’s Inside: Pages 2-4 SanTan Family Fun calendar
Page 6 Around the world in a day
Page 7 Baseball University
Page 8 City of Chandler Summer Recreation Activities For info on sponsoring the SanTan Family Fun Calendar, email Ads@SanTanSun.com
By Alison Stanton
June may be Child Vision Awareness Month, but as far as June Carson is concerned, parents should pay attention to their children’s vision every day of the year. Carson, who is a district nurse for the Chandler Unified School District, says that it is very important that children get their vision checked. The school district does its part, she notes, screening all new students including preschool and kindergarteners, as well as anyone who transfers into the district. “Although every student is not screened every year, we will screen their vision upon request,” she notes. Anyone can ask that a child is tested, including parents, teachers and aides. CUSD uses three charts to test a child’s ask the parent a lot of questions in order vision, Carson says. They are an E chart, to get an accurate family history. where the letter faces different directions; “If both parents are wearing strong a letter chart, and the Apple House glasses and a parent started wearing glasses Umbrella chart, which is helpful for at 2 years old, there is a good chance the younger students and those with special kids will have the same problem.” needs who may have trouble naming Because checking vision is different in letters. The charts are also available in pediatrics than with adults, Ethington Spanish, she notes. says he uses different methods to check In addition to the vision testing that visual acuity. These include charts with is done in the school, parents can also the E’s or C’s going different ways, or one take their child to an optometrist or where there are two different targets to ophthalmologist for an eye exam. look at. Dr. Roger Ethington, an optometrist at “For example, there is one car where Southwestern Eye Center, says if there is the wheels are broken and one any kind of family history of where the wheels are not, and eye problems, if the parents we will ask them to point to notice any problems with the the one with the broken wheel. way the eyes are tracking, if the We can also use more objective eyes are deviating from each measures with kids such as other, and/or they are not special scopes that we can use working together, they should to determine their power.” bring in their child at 6 months The two main things of age. Ethington looks for during the “If everything is going eye exam are signs of strabissmoothly, parents should mus, which is when the two schedule their child’s first eye eyes do not line up in the checkup before first grade,” says EYE EXAMS IMPORTANT: Dr. Roger Ethington says same direction, and amblyEthington, a Gilbert resident. “If there is no indication of children can have their first opia, or “lazy eye.” eye exam as early as Ethington says he has problems, the child should 6 months of age. treated kids who are 12 to come back every two years, but Submitted photo 14 years old who didn’t if there is an ongoing condition realize that they couldn’t see they should come back every out of one eye, even though they had year, as directed by the doctor.” gone through a screening at school. Although the special equipment some“Kids can still read well and still have times reminds kids of a dental office and serious eye conditions.” may cause them to feel scared, Ethington At home, Ethington says parents offers reassurance. “There are no shots, no needles and no should watch to see if their kids’ eyes are working together, or if one is looking pain involved in the eye exam,” he says. straight ahead and the other is deviating “When we dilate the eyes we use a off to the side. numbing drop but it does not hurt. For “Children should be able to read preschoolers, we often let mom hold books when held as far away from their them on her lap.” face as their forearms are long, from During the appointment, Ethington elbow to index finger,” he says. says the child will spend about 10 to Little kids with shorter arms naturally 20 minutes with the doctor and 10 to hold things closer, he added. 15 minutes with the technician, who will
“Watch how close the child is sitting in front of the television; if it’s a large television they should sit further away.” One of the “cardinal signs” that there is a problem, Ethington says, is when the child is squinting to see. “For many kids, they don’t even realize they are doing it.” Alison Stanton is a freelance writer who lives in the East Valley. She can be reached at Alison@SanTanSun.com
June may be Child Vision Awareness Month, but as far as June Carson is concerned, parents should pay attention to their children’s vision every day of the year.
Resources Websites:
• www.visionquest2020.org • http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/ eyes/vision.html • www.webmd.com/eye-health/features/ child-eye-and-vision-problems Books:
• “I Need Glasses: My Visit to the Optometrist,” by Virginia Dooley • “Arlo Needs Glasses,” by Barney Saltzberg • “Arthur’s Eyes: An Arthur Adventure,” by Marc Brown