Screening Your Eyes

Eyes are a very significant organ of the body because we use them for everything we do. That is why caring for them is very important. Although it is not the same as an eye exam, vision screening is as equally as important. Eye exams are done by eye doctors who would determine the present condition of the eyes and then would treat it as soon as possible. Vision screening is a nurse or certified employee trained to run different eye tests on adults and children to determine if a full eye exam is required or not.

Vision problems will occur in one out of every 20 preschooler as stated by the Prevent Blindness America program. Screening for children is done by observation of the child’s behavior. Behaviors like watery eye and constant rubbing are issues. A screener would also check if the child's eyes are looking straight or if there are signs of lazy eyes, which is a condition called amblyopia. Testing with pictures and getting parents and teachers’ insight on the child is also considered part of the vision screening.

Adult screening is similar to the children screening, but more questions are asked other than just observing. Tests are also done to determine if there is nearsightedness or farsightedness. The tests usually take 15 minutes and results are discussed by the screener right after. Once the results from the tests are determined, the screener would then recommend a full eye exam if needed.

By having your eyes and children’s eyes checked through a vision screening test, many common eye problems and blindness could be detected at an early stage. Better yet, you or your children would enjoy making clear memory of what you see.