Why Eye Exams Are Essential Before School Starts

As summer holidays wind down and back-to-school season approaches, you’re likely juggling supply lists—pencils, backpacks, and notebooks. But one vital task might be missing: scheduling an eye exam for your child.

If your child already wears glasses, especially for myopia (nearsightedness), it’s important to check for progression and worsening vision. If myopia progresses, it could be an indication your child’s eyes are growing too long to fast. At Horizon Eye Care & Optical, we have made it our focus to intervene and address this rapidly growing epidemic of myopic progression. Review our myopia management page for more information on orthokeratology, soft lens treatment and medical treatment on how we use to slow down myopia progression and our myopia specific axial length device to measure the length of your child’s eyes.

Children who don’t already wear glasses or contact lenses may not know what ‘blurry vision’ means and may not tell you until they start struggling in school. Reduced vision or binocular vision skills may cause your child to struggle reading, writing and focus as school kicks into high gear. If your child can’t see well, they might struggle to keep up—and you may not even realize it. A routine eye exam and further binocular vision screening at Horizon Eye Care & Optical well before school starts will help ensure their vision is normal and any concerns are addressed so they’re ready to get back to school. Browse our binocular vision services and technology for pediatric and children’s examinations.

At Horizon Eye Care & Optical, we know how crucial clear eyesight and good binocular vision is for your child’s success in the classroom, sports and beyond.

Common Vision Issues in Kids

Because the signs can be subtle, many parents don’t realize their child’s school struggles may be linked to binocular vision and not just clarity of vision. Here are some common issues that can affect your child’s vision:

• Nearsightedness (Myopia): Trouble seeing the board or distant objects.
• Farsightedness (Hyperopia): Difficulty focusing on books or close-up tasks.
• Astigmatism: Blurry vision that can make reading or writing difficult.
• Amblyopia (‘Lazy Eye’): Weak vision in one eye, affecting depth perception.
• Strabismus (‘Eye turn or Lazy Eye’): Misaligned eyes, impacting focus and coordination.
• Color Vision Issues: Trouble with color-coded lessons or activities.
• Poor Depth Perception: Not being able to use both eyes together to judge space and depth.
• Convergence Insufficiency: Not being able to maintain good eye alignment when reading.

Signs to Watch For

Your child might not say, “I can’t see!” Instead, look for these clues:

• Squinting or tilting their head to see
• Sitting too close to the TV or holding books near their face
• Rubbing their eyes frequently or complaining of headaches
• Losing their place while reading
• Writing uphill or downhill
• Avoiding homework, books, or screens
• Clumsiness or poor eye-hand coordination
• Poor sports performance or avoiding sports

If your child shows any of these signs, it’s time to book an appointment!

What Happens at an Eye Exam?

We make it easy and fun at Horizon Eye Care & Optical! Our kid-friendly exam checks:

• How clearly your child sees
• Eye alignment and movement
• Depth perception and color vision
• Overall eye health
• The need for glasses, contact lenses or treatment to slow down myopia

We’ll explain the options—glasses, contacts, myopia management or vision therapy—in simple terms, so you can choose what’s best for your child’s future.

Clear and comfortable vision equips your child to learn, play, and thrive in school. At Horizon Eye Care & Optical, we’re here to partner with you, offering expert care and solutions tailored to your child.

Don’t wait—schedule your child’s back-to-school eye exam today and give them a clear path to a successful year!