Eye Exams for Teens
Professional, comprehensive eye exams are important at any age – including teens. Often times parents assume that since their teenager is healthy and physically active, that everything about them is healthy. Perhaps...but not necessarily so.
As a child grows their body experiences many changes, and so does their vision. An undiagnosed vision condition that has gone undetected for years can become more noticeable during middle school or high school. A student who typically described school as “easy” may find they now need to “work” to get the same grades. They can become frustrated with the additional time they must spend on homework or studying, and not understand why.
An undiagnosed vision problem may be the culprit. As students progress in school, they face increasing demands on their visual system. In middle school and on into high school the size of font in text books becomes smaller, the pages become more text dense (fewer illustrations or white space), they are required to spend more time using laptops or computers, and the amount of time dedicated to reading and studying increases.
Undiagnosed vision problems can surface at any time, depending upon visual demands. For some children that happens in grade school, for others high school, and still others grad school or beyond. Vision is a complex process that involves over 20 visual abilities, and more than 65% of all the pathways to the brain.
The doctors at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare are residency-trained in vision conditions that affect teens. If you have a middle school or high school student, we invite you to contact our office to schedule an appointment for a comprehensive vision exam. It is an easy way to help prepare your student for the academic demands that lie ahead.