SALT LAKE CITY — Serious vision problems rank as the fourth most common disability for US children. They are also the No. 1 handicapping condition children face in their young lives.

Despite these shocking statistics, only 14 percent of American children under the age of 6 have had their eyes examined. This means a significant amount of children might be heavily struggling with their vision at this very moment, and your child may be one of them.

It's puzzling because all it takes to detect any eye problems is a quick eye examination. Two distinguished associations, the American Public Health Association and the American Optometric Association, have agreed that the first and most important examination in your children's life should be around the time they are 6 months old.

Taking care of your child's eye development at an early stage

This fateful examination is not the starting point. You need to take care of your child's sight development as soon as they are born. Here are the three most important tips in those early weeks and months.

1. Set up your baby's nursery in a creative way. It's proven that bright colors help with vision development. That's why it's a good idea to use vivid colors (instead of dull pastels) when setting up the nursery. You might also consider hanging posters and mobiles as well as toys in interesting shapes or take-apart toys. All of these provide visual stimulation for your baby. A nightlight is good bet too. It will give your infant the freedom to look around the room whenever he or she wake up.
2. Play games. As with everything else in our life, games are crucial for your child's eye development. The early weeks and months are a great time to play games like pat-a-cake or peek-a-boo. Paired with gently moving your baby's arms or legs at the same time, they strongly encourage vision development.
3. Rearrange your baby's surroundings. Babies are fast to start following objects with their eyes and to develop their eye-hand coordination. This is where rearranging their surroundings and objects they get in touch with comes into play. Change the position of your baby's crib or hang a mobile within his or her vision. You can also talk to your children while walking around in the nursery and even switch sides at feeding time.

When the examination day finally comes

The first comprehensive eye examination is fun for most infants. What the optometrist will do is check for visual acuity, nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, as well as the eye alignment. This will be conducted in an interactive way – the specialist will play games with your infant, using a light, their hands or a toy to get your baby's attention.

The examination includes assessing muscle health, eye structure and examining the eyelids and tear ducts. There is a possibility of dilation drops insertion — it will enlarge your child's pupils so the optometrist can observe his or her eyes better.

Eye doctors will also look into your baby's history, as well as the parents' history. They need to know about genetic diseases (retinoblastoma, glaucoma, congenital cataracts or others), as studies have linked many eye conditions to family history.

If your child has astigmatism, don't panic. Thirty percent to 50 percent of the babies younger than 12 months have it, but the condition declines during the first few years of your child's life. Another common occurrence is anisometropia (the refraction is not the same in both eyes).

After this initial examination, the AOA urges that your child has to be examined when her or she is 3 years old. As for later stages, children entering school should get an appointment before the first grade and then every two years during their early education.

(Note: It's important not to soley rely on school vision screening programs only as they lack the proficiency of a comprehensive examination. Screening programs test only a person's distance vision, which doesn't provide additional information (how well the eyes focus when looking at things, how they work together or their overall health). There are also crucial side factors at play (unqualified personnel, lack of proper lighting and quality testing equipment, inaccurate testing distances). Your child's eyes and vision can be adequately evaluated only be specific equipment and techniques akin to eye doctors.)

What to do when your child needs corrective lenses

Your child might need corrective lenses starting at an early age. While contact lenses are an option, small children can't handle them well. It's better to rely on glasses.

As with everything new, your children might need a transition period. Here are some tips to ease the process.

• Preparation and participationPrepare your child for wearing glasses by giving him or her a few days to absorb the information. This is a good time to educate the child on the importance of vision correction. What's even more important is to let your child be a part of the process — let him or her help with picking the frames or establishing a specific place for storage.
• Compliment your child Praising your child and making him or her feel “grown up” when he or she remembers to wear the glasses is a good approach to encourage a routine. Be positive about your child's new experience and further compliment his or her efforts by finding books, videos or movies about children wearing glasses.
• Discuss possible school problemsIt's a known fact that children tease each other for everything. If your child starts school soon, explain to him or her the possibility of teasing. Give your son or daughter some things to say in case people ask about the classes or laugh at him or her for wearing them. Let your child know this benefits their health and isn't something abnormal.
• Choose polycarbonate lensesGlasses with polycarbonate lenses are the best option for children, for several reasons.
  1. Polycarbonate lenses offer the maximum degree of protection for the child's eyes.
  2. They stand up to rough play (sports, running) without cracking or shattering.
  3. They are 20 percent thinner and much lighter than standard plastic or glass (this makes them more comfortable for children, especially those with very strong prescriptions).
  4. They block over 99 percent of the sun's damaging UV rays, because the polycarbonate acts as a natural UV filter.

Taking your children to regular eye checkups will both protect your child's eyes and teach them to care for their eyesight in the long run. Luckily, we're also living in the age of innovation, so both your child and specialists have access to technologies which will make the examination process and its outcome easier.

Dr. Jared Cooper graduated with is Doctorate in Optometry from the Southern College of Optometry in 2009. He sees patients at various locations throughout Utah and Idaho. Contact him at www.drjaredcooper.com

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