August is Children's Vision and Learning Month

Globally recognized, Florida was among the first states to proclaim August as Children's Vision and Learning Month in 2016. Then-Governor Rick Scott dedicated this month to promoting public awareness, recognition, and prevention of learning-related vision problems in school-age children. As a new school year approaches, parents and guardians are encouraged to have their children's eye health examined. Since children are generally visual learners, early awareness can mean the difference between difficulty in the classroom and successful learning. This month, parents, teachers, and others are encouraged to learn and recognize the signs and symptoms of low vision in children. Early detection and treatment can prevent permanent vision problems that affect a child's learning ability. 

According to the American Public Health Association, approximately 25% of elementary school children have visual issues that interfere with learning. The old-fashioned eye chart exam is better suited for recognizing challenges related only to far-sightedness and is not effective for detecting near-sightedness or eye movement issues. Undiagnosed visual problems often lead to lower grades and possible behavioral issues, which can result in a misdiagnosis of mental health conditions and permanent undiagnosed visual issues. 

Signs and symptoms of visual problems in school-age children include: 

• Sloppy handwriting 

• Inadequate math and spelling skills 

• Limited attention span 

• Squinting and eye rubbing 

  
  

Each school year, children return to the classroom with undiagnosed and untreated visual issues. These children struggle with hand-eye coordination, tracking movement, focus, and perception, and may experience headaches, be fidgety, or avoid reading. Visual changes can occur without noticing, and often children adapt without realizing anything is wrong, so they do not ask for help. Accordingly, August is the perfect time to establish your child's yearly comprehensive developmental eye examination. 

Children's Vision and Learning Month serves many purposes across our communities, from awareness to action. Every August, let it be a reminder that school-age children need yearly developmental vision exams to prevent and treat learning-related visual issues. Doing so before school begins helps create a solid foundation for the year ahead. 

At Conklin Davis Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, we are dedicated to serving children with low vision or complete blindness. If you know a child who needs low vision support, please call Conklin Davis Center at (386) 258-3441. Our team is ready to discuss the challenges of visual impairment and identify the best solutions for you.