Some startling facts were revealed in a recently published study by Joel Zaba, MA, OD. Noted were that about 25% of all school children in the United States experience vision problems and that of 9 – 15 year olds, only 10% who needed prescription eyeglasses had them. The “Journal of Behavioral Optometry” of the Optometric Extension Program (Volume 22/2011/Number 2) article is entitled, Children’s Vision Care in the 21st Century and Its Impact on Education, Literacy, Social Issues, and the Workplace: A Call to Action. It reviews extensive studies and findings, substantiating the relationship between vision and its impact on school performance, literacy, labor productivity and even adult criminal behavior.
The article notes that dependence on vision screening gives a false sense of security to parents that their child’s vision has been addressed. Ironically, many states in which a vision screening is required of school aged children fail to require the child have a complete eye exam when the child fails the screening. Forgotten is that screenings may test a child’s ability to see the blackboard but fails to identify vision related problems when reading a book or using a computer.