Optometrists form coalition to raise awareness of importance of eye exams

Optometrists in Hamilton, Ontario, joined with local school school boards and other community groups last year to launch the Eye See Eye Learn program to promote better eye health in area schools. The Hamilton Spectator reports that the initiative currently includes four towns, but will expand to five by next year.

The program has already notably helped one school-aged youngster. According to the news source, 5-year-old Owen Zadvorny, one in a set of triplets, never reported any signs of vision problems to his mother. However, at the urging of a brochure produced by the program, she took him to get an eye exam and discovered that he was farsighted.

The news provider reports that almost 75 percent of children in Canada between the ages of 5 and 9 do not receive an eye exam. Optometrists suggest that kids often don't complain about having sub-par vision because they aren't aware of what proper vision is.

According to Prevent Blindness America, one of the most common eye health problems in children is amblyopia, or lazy eye. The organization reports that the condition can easily be identified through an eye exam and early detection can lead to full restoration of sight.