Eye problems are capable of having a substantial impact on both the classroom performance and behavior of your child. Many schools perform regular eye exams in an attempt to catch these problems. These exams are often completed by a volunteer, rather than an ocular professional, so issues may not be discovered, especially if the problem isn’t particularly severe. It is crucial to learn the signs that your child needs glasses in order to ensure that you will be able to provide them with the services that they need. Here are a few of the signs that your child needs glasses.

Eye Pain and Frequent Headaches

Eye pain and frequent headaches are a huge sign that your child is having some kind of issue with their eyes. This discomfort often results from the eyes straining or becoming overexerted as the child attempts to see. For example, headaches are often caused by issues of farsightedness. This is because the eyes have to strain in order for the child to focus on things that are located near to them, which tends to cause headaches to arise. Pay attention to your child complaining of headaches or pain around their eyes, as this may mean that your child needs glasses.

Rubbing Eyes

There are many reasons that your child may rub their eyes, so this may not necessarily be cause enough to bring them in for an eye exam. They may have allergies or other problems that cause their eyes to tear up. They may even have specific ocular allergies. However, rubbing the eyes consistently may also be a sign that they eyes are being strained and your child is rubbing them in an attempt to relieve the strain and discomfort in their eyes.  

Squinting

If you see your child squinting regularly, it is likely that they have an eye problem. Squinting helps to provide temporary improvement to the vision, because it limits the amount of light that infiltrates into the eye and helps to modify the shape of the eye. Don’t just overlook it if your child squints on a regular basis.

Head Tilting

If your child is regularly tilting their head, it is possible that several different issues are present. For example, one eye might not be working at the same strength as the other eye, which necessitates the head tilt. This gesture can also change the angle at which the object is being viewed, which may help the eyes to focus on a specific object.

Difficulty with Comprehensive Reading

Children that have issues with their eyesight may have difficulty with comprehensive reading. Watch your child as they are reading and have them read aloud to you. If they have eye issues, it is likely that they will use their finger as they read in order to help keep their place. It is common for children with vision problems to frequently lose their place while reading and otherwise having difficulty reading.

Sitting too Close to the Television

Sitting extremely close to the television is often an indication that they are unable to see clearly from further away. If you find that your child is sitting uncomfortably close to the television, it is likely that they are nearsighted and have trouble seeing further away. This same thing applies to holding objects very close to their face, such as tablets or books.

Light Sensitivity

There are many vision issues that can result in light sensitivity. Pay attention to your child’s complaints about areas being too bright. Light sensitivity is generally anything that results in discomfort in reaction to moderate levels of light, such as sunlight or turning the light on in the house.

Changes in Behavior or Academic Performance

Many children are simply unaware that they have an issue with their eyes. It is likely that they have had these issues their entire lives and don’t know the feeling of actually being able to see clearly. When they are unaware of the issues, but their lives are being impacted by the issues, it can be extremely frustrating and overwhelming. They may not understand why they are having difficulty seeing the whiteboard in the classroom or effectively playing sports with their friends. If you notice changes in their behavior or academic performance, it is possible that they are experiencing vision problems.

Failing a School Eye Exam

As was previously mentioned, most schools hold regular eye exams in the early years in an attempt to identify possible vision issues. Though these eye exams aren’t always effective, it is still a sure sign that your child is experiencing eye issues if they fail the eye exam. The school will notify you if they suspect that your child is experiencing vision problems. At this point, you should take the steps to bring your child in to a professional in order to have their vision restored and protected.

Schedule an Eye Exam with Us!

Regular eye exams are another great way to identify issues with your child’s vision. Even if they have eye exams at their school, a professional will be able to identify whether your child would benefit from corrective implements, such as glasses or contacts. It can be particularly beneficial to bring your child in regularly for an eye exam. After these issues have been identified, it is often recommended that you continue to bring them in for eye exams on a yearly basis. This will aid in monitoring changes to the vision and providing the most effective methods for protecting the health of their eyes. Here at Wolcott Optical, we strive to provide you with all of the services that you need to protect your vision and the vision of your children. We offer excellent eye exam services to identify problems, as well as carry a wide selection of tools that can help to correct issues with the vision. To learn more about our services and how to protect the health of your child’s vision, contact our experts at Wolcott Optical today!

With allergy season approaching, it is likely that you will begin to experience allergy-related symptoms. Many people who experience seasonal allergies, commonly called hay fever, have symptoms that impact their eyes. Though allergies don’t necessarily pose a threat to your ocular health, the symptoms can be detrimental to their overall quality of life. Understanding how to recognize and alleviate symptoms can go a long way toward ensuring that you remain comfortable throughout allergy season. There are many ways to protect your eyes, including eye exercises when working on computers and wearing the appropriate eyewear.  

How Allergies Work

Allergies occur when an individual comes into contact with specific allergens. These allergens cause the immune system to have an overreaction, which results in the symptoms of allergies. This causes symptoms like sneezing, itchiness, rashes, and more. In most situations, being proactive with your known allergens can help you to avoid experiencing the symptoms. If an individual with pollen allergies goes outside when pollen levels are high, they will likely inhale pollen particles. This will then cause the reaction in their immune system and they will experience the symptoms of hay fever. Studies have shown that between 70-80% of individuals with hay fever also experience a condition called allergic conjunctivitis.

Allergic Conjunctivitis

Allergic conjunctivitis is the technical term for the allergic inflammation of the eyes. This is when allergic symptoms impact the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is the membrane that covers the eyelids and the eyes. When hay fever impacts the conjunctiva, it results in additional symptoms that impact the eyes. These symptoms can be incredibly uncomfortable, which is one of the reasons that treating the symptoms can improve your overall quality of life. Here are some of the symptoms that can help you to determine if you have allergic conjunctivitis.

Symptoms of Allergic Conjunctivitis

It is important to keep in mind that allergic conjunctivitis is usually present in addition to other allergy symptoms, such as sneezing and a runny nose. If the only symptoms are impacting the eyes, it is likely that there is a different issue. You should ensure that you visit an optometrist for an exam to protect the health of your eyes. Allergic conjunctivitis tends to cause the eyes to appear red. Keep in mind that allergic conjunctivitis isn’t contagious, though the red eyes can mimic the appearance of pink eye. Eyes may become watery and itchy, which often results in individuals rubbing them. This rubbing can further irritate the eye, as well as introduce bacteria or dirt to the surface of the eye. It is important to refrain from rubbing your eyes, even while you are experiencing the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis.

A less known symptom of allergic conjunctivitis is that it can actually cause the eyes to dry out. This often results in a burning sensation. In addition, it is important that eyes remain moisturized to flush out bacteria and harmful particles. If you are experiencing dry
eyes, implementing solutions to keep them moisturized can be particularly beneficial. Keep in mind that dry eyes are also common throughout the winter months. This is more commonly due to indoor heating rather than allergic symptoms. Protect
your eyes throughout the winter and continue to implement solutions to protect them throughout allergy season.

Reducing the Impact of Allergic Conjunctivitis

There are several steps that you can take to reduce the overall impact of allergic conjunctivitis. This will allow you to be more comfortable and improve the health of your eyes. Allergy eye-drops can both help to wash out the allergens that have impacted your eyes. One of the major benefits of this avenue is that it can also help to keep the eyes more moisturized, as well. Allergy medications are often very effective at preventing all kinds of allergy symptoms. Taking an allergy medication every morning throughout allergy season can help to keep you more comfortable and prevent the symptoms from arising. Allergy shots can also be used to help build up your immunity to various allergies. These shots tend to work over a period of months, but you should consult with your doctor to learn more about this option for reducing allergy related symptoms.

Allergy Prevention

Taking the steps to prevent contact with allergens can also help to reduce the likelihood of substantial symptoms and discomfort. The appropriate steps will depend primarily on the allergens that you are vulnerable to. Wash your bedding regularly to remove allergens on the surface of your bed. If you are allergic to pet dander, you should ensure that you keep pets off of the furniture and out of your bedroom. Washing your hands and face regularly can help to prevent exposure to the allergens that cause your immune system to overreact. If you are allergic to pollen, you should keep track of the levels of pollen. Try to stay inside as much as possible on high pollen days to reduce your allergy related symptoms.

Wearing Contacts with Allergies

You can certainly wear contacts during allergy season, but there are a few considerations that you should keep in mind. Contacts are always going to slightly irritate the eyes. Though this is usually virtually unnoticeable, contacts can magnify the irritation from allergic conjunctivitis. Ensure that you always thoroughly rinse your contacts to minimize the possibility of irritation. You should also consider disposable, one day use contacts to ensure that the contacts that they use are always clean.

Here at Wolcott Optical, we are well aware of the discomfort that can occur to your eyes during allergy season. It is important to keep in mind that experiencing these symptoms without the presence of allergies can indicate a different ocular health concern. If you are concerned about the condition of your eyes, it can be incredibly beneficial to schedule an eye exam with an optometrist. Our experienced professionals are dedicated to protecting the health of your eyes, as well as helping you to minimize any discomfort that your eyes experience through allergy season. To learn more about the impact that allergy season has on your eyes, contact us at Wolcott Optical today!

You rely on your vision every single day. Your eyes experience a substantial amount of strain, so it is vital to ensure that you give them breaks when necessary and prevent any damage from escalating. This is a process that is growing in importance, as more and more jobs require employees to spend a substantial amount of time staring at digital screens. There are multiple steps that you can take to protect your eyes and your vision. Here are a few eye
exercises that can help you to keep your eyes in good condition.

The Benefits of Eye Exercises

With the growing popularity of technology, many people are required to stare at a computer screen all day for work. This can cause incredible amounts of strain to your eyes, which can result in a multitude of problems. Eye exercises can help to protect your eyes and minimize the amount of strain placed on them. This can help to prevent your eyes from drying out, and can also help you to eliminate headaches. If you are experiencing regular headaches, it is very likely that your eyes are experiencing substantial amounts of strain. Implementing effective eye exercises every day can go a long way toward preventing damage from occurring to your eyes, as well as keep you far more comfortable over time.

Palming

Palming helps your eyes in two different ways and can be an incredibly effective exercise for your eyes. This process involves rubbing your hands together vigorously to heat up your palms. Once they are warm, you should place them over your eyelids. Refrain from pressing down too hard on your eyes. You should not experience discomfort with the pressure on your eyes. This helps to give your eyes a break and the heat also helps to relax the muscles in your eyes. Heat is an especially effective method for enhancing relaxation and preventing strain from occurring to your eyes. They also give your eyes a break, as they will be closed while your palms transfer heat to the eyes.

Near and Far Focus

Near and far focus is an eye exercise that is exactly what it sounds like. You focus on something near and then you focus on something far away to help exercise and stretch your eyes. Hold your thumb roughly 10 inches away from your eyes. Focus on your thumb for around 15 seconds. Then, locate an object that is approximately 10 to 20 feet away from you. Shift the focus from your thumb to this object for another 15 seconds. After this, focus back on your thumb. Repeat the process about 5 times to ensure that your eyes are effectively exercised.

The 20-20-20 Rule

Your eyes aren’t intended to stare at a digital screen for hours on end. This is one of the major reasons why eye strain is so incredibly common. To reduce the likelihood of strain to your eyes, you should follow the 20-20-20 rule. This rule encourages you to shift your focus away from your screen every 20 minutes, as extended time staring at a screen is a leading contributor of strain. Focus on a point 20 feet away for 20 seconds at a time. Effectively following this rule can go a long way toward minimizing eye strain and preventing damage from occurring to your eyes.

Blinking

Blinking is an automatic function for a reason. It helps to keep your eyes moisturized and helps to prevent excessive dryness. This is especially important when you wear contact lenses, as dried out lenses can become uncomfortable and cause scratching and other damage to your eyes. Unfortunately, many people don’t blink as often as they should when they are staring at a digital device. Periodically, you should take a break from staring at the screen and focus on blinking. Set a timer for 2 minutes. During this period of 2 minutes, you should blink every 4 seconds to moisturize and reinvigorate your eyes. Do this several times to prevent eye strain.

Figure 8

The figure 8 eye exercise is rather simple to complete and can be an effective eye exercise. Focus on a point approximately 10 feet away from your eyes. Picture a large number 8 and then imagine it turned on its side, forming a figure 8 or infinity symbol. Trace this figure 8 with your eyes for around 2 minutes. After this, trace the figure 8 in reverse for an additional 2 minutes. This can help to stretch your eyes and prevent them from becoming strained with overuse. Doing the figure 8 exercise regularly is a great way to reduce the likelihood of damage occurring to your eyes, which substantially helps to protect your vision and improve your comfort.

Other Ways to Protect your Eyes

Though eye exercises have been shown to help minimize the likelihood of eye strain, few studies have shown that these exercises actually improve your vision. It is important to implement all of the steps necessary to protect the health of your eyes. You should obtain eye exams on a regular basis to ensure that any possible issues are discovered early on. You should also ensure that you wear sunglasses when you are outside to prevent damage from exposure to UV rays. Eating healthily can help to keep your eyes similarly healthy. Finally, it is important to follow the instructions of your optometrist and wear contacts or glasses as prescribed. Contrary to popular belief, prescription corrective methods won’t hurt your vision or make it worse.

Here at Wolcott Optical, we strive to provide all of the services necessary to protect the health of your eyes and ensure that you are able to see clearly. We carry a large selection of glasses with various frames, along with sunglasses. We are able to provide eye exams and other services to enhance the health of your eyes. To learn more about the many services that we offer, as well as how they can improve your vision, contact our experts today!