Getting Ready for Back to School. Put a visit to an optometrist on your list of things to do.

I can’t believe that school will be starting again soon. We’re right in the hussle and bussle of getting ready for Back to School in this household. Evenings have consisted of shopping for back to school clothes and school supplies, getting back into school routines and most importantly, getting our yearly eye exams.

Our eyes are connected to many other systems in the human body

Booking your child an eye exam as part of your Back to School routine can help to ensure that your child’s overall health is good for the start of the school year. With 1 in 4 children having an undetected vision problem, comprehensive eye exams not only determine if glasses are needed but give optometrists a look at inside of the eye, including blood vessels, veins and nerves.

All of these may contain clues to conditions such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, lazy eye and other conditions that affect overall health. If there is a problem that goes un-detected, it could even be significant enough to impair your child’s ability to learn.

(Wearing bifocals when I was younger due to a lazy eye and then surgery to correct)

Eye exams in Alberta

Eye exams in Alberta are free for children 0-18 yrs however; a low percentage of children entering the first grade have had a comprehensive eye exam. With 80% of learning in school being visual, these statistics are definitely eye opening. Adults 65+ also receive free eye exams, and medically urgent or necessary eye exams are covered for everyone in Alberta.

Eye See…Eye Learn

If you haven’t heard of this program yet, it’s pretty amazing. If needed, Kindergarteners who have received a prescription from a Doctor of Optometry are eligible for free glasses. This program is available to Kindergarten students in Alberta from the September that they start Kindergarten to Grade One.

Create a checklist

I’m all about the lists because I always forget something unless it’s on my to-do list. I’ve created this one to ensure I’m doing everything that I need to do to get ready for this Back to School season. The best part is that it’s downloadable for you to use as well.

Enter to WIN

Test your knowledge on all things eye health with the “Test Your Family’s Eye-Q” Quiz. You will be entered for a chance to win a family eye care package worth up to $800! The contest ends September 12^th, 2016.

To find an Optometrist in your community for your child’s Back to School check-up, check out the Alberta Association of Optometrists website.

This post has been generously sponsored by the Alberta Association of Optometrists, the opinions and language are my own.