August is Children's Vision and Learning month!

There are lots of things for parents to do in August to get kids ready for school. While you are busy shopping for school supplies, new shoes and getting haircuts, don't forget to schedule an eye examination for your children with a behavioral optometrist. A behavioral optometrist has had the same training as other optometrists, but spends time testing how your child's eyes function during near work, like reading from a book or tablet. While it is very important for your child to be able to see clearly in the distance and to ensure the eyes are healthy, it is equally important to check the function of the eyes while reading. When we read, our eyes have a much more complicated set of demands than viewing objects in the distance. Up close, our eyes must converge on the target, focus on the target and move the eyes accurately across the page (known as convergernce, accommodation and saccades). Children who have trouble at near often avoid reading, struggle with homework or may appear to have a poor attention span. To locate an optometrist who will carefully evaluate your child's visual function at near, visit www.covd.org or www.oepf.org and locate a doctor.