Northwest Iowa — The experts say 80-percent of all learning is visual, so good vision is vital in the classroom. As northwest Iowa students head back to school soon, eye screenings are mandatory before kindergarten and third grade.
Optometrist Beth Triebel says those in-school basic eye tests often miss significant vision issues which may impact a child’s ability to read and learn.
Studies find one in four children have some sort of vision problem, while 60-percent of students who are identified as problem learners also have undetected vision problems. Triebel suggests parents take their children in for a preliminary vision exam when the child is between six months and a year old.
Dr. Triebel says many children below the age of ten have trouble telling an adult that anything is wrong with their vision, so there are a few things for which parent can watch.
One of the biggest vision issues in recent years is known as C-V-S, or computer vision syndrome. It can develop with some children and teens as a result of too much screen time with computers, tablets, video games, cell phones and other technology. Triebel recommends limiting a child to only two hours of screen time per day.
