Is your child ready for the upcoming school year? We strive to equip our children with everything they need for a successful academic journey. But we often need to pay more attention to their visual skills.
Vision plays a vital role in a child’s ability to learn and thrive in the classroom. In this blog post, we'll explore the difference between a typical eye exam and a comprehensive functional evaluation by a developmental optometrist. By understanding the importance of functional exams, we can ensure your children's eyes are in optimal condition for the school year ahead!
The Basics: Typical Eye Exams vs. Functional Evaluations
When it comes to eye care, many parents rely solely on traditional routine eye exams conducted. While these exams are essential for assessing acuity and basic visual skills, they may not detect underlying visual problems that can significantly impact a child's learning abilities.
A functional evaluation goes beyond the basics and delves into over 17 visual skills crucial for academic success. Developmental optometrists like Dr. Todd Wylie conduct these evaluations, and he also specializes in assessing visual skills specific to learning and development.
Identifying Hidden Visual Problems
One of the challenges of visual problems in children is that they often go unnoticed. Unlike adults, children may not be able to articulate their vision difficulties or recognize that what they see is abnormal. As a result, issues like poor eye coordination, tracking difficulties, or focusing problems can be misattributed to other conditions such as ADHD or learning disabilities.
Teachers may mistake these signs and suggest tutoring or interventions that may not address the root cause. Parents can rule out visual problems as an underlying factor by opting for a comprehensive functional evaluation before considering other possibilities.
Enhancing Learning Potential
Your children's success in school depends on various factors, and vision is undeniably one of the most critical. Imagine learning to read when the words on the page appear blurry or struggling to follow the teacher's instructions due to poor eye coordination.
We can unlock your children's full learning potential by identifying and addressing these visual issues through a functional evaluation. When your child’s vision is optimized, they can fully engage in classroom activities, absorb information effectively, and perform at their best.
How does a Functional Evaluation Work?
If you're convinced of the benefits of a functional evaluation for your child, knowing how to proceed is essential. Start by scheduling an appointment with Dr. Todd Wylie, who has the expertise to assess the specific visual skills related to learning. During the evaluation, your child will undergo a series of tests to evaluate eye teaming, tracking, focusing, and other critical visual functions.
Based on the results, the optometrist can recommend appropriate interventions, such as vision therapy, to improve any identified visual deficits.
Schedule an appointment today at Advanced Eyecare & Therapies
As the school year approaches, let's not forget the significance of our children's eye health. By prioritizing comprehensive functional evaluations over routine eye exams, we can ensure their vision functions optimally for learning. Rather than guessing or assuming other factors are affecting your children's academic performance, rather take the proactive step of ruling out visual problems first.
Remember, a functional evaluation with a developmental optometrist like Dr. Todd Wylie can make all the difference in setting our children up for success in the classroom. Schedule an appointment today at Advanced Eyecare & Therapies and give your child the gift of clear vision and limitless learning potential!