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October 2016: Back to School Refresher
We've got a new look for the newsletter! I kind of miss the old glasses and eyeballs, but apparently more than half of you open this newsletter on a mobile device, and this format is supposedly more "mobile friendly". Plus, I think the new model is pretty cute too (that's my daughter Kennedy). 

Generally in September or October we like to do a back-to-school newsletter. I'm sure many of you have read some of this information before, but it never hurts to brush up on good vision habits that will get our kids and grandkids through the school year. Even if you don't have kids, some of the info in this newsletter is relevant if you spend any time at all looking at a screen during the day. 

Hopefully everybody is back into their post-Summer routines and enjoying the early days of Fall. We'll have a very exciting announcement in Nov. or Dec. as we get ready to bring some new technology into the office, so make sure you read the next issue. But for now, happy back-to-school reading. 

Sincerely,

Charles Bittel III, O.D.
Charles Bittel, O.D.
Joo Chi, O.D.
Back to School: 2016

The first question I often get when it comes to kids and vision is: "At what age should I have my child's eyes examined for the first time?". I always recommend having your child's eyes examined before they start kindergarten if at all possible. There are two main reasons for this recommendation. The first reason relates to the development of their visual system. If a child has a lazy eye or significant refractive error, getting them in glasses as soon as possible is crucial. Once a child reaches approximately 7 years of age, it becomes more  difficult  to stimulate their developing visual acuity. Of course, if you suspect any vision related concerns in a child no matter how young, advise you child's pediatrician as soon as possible. The other reason that we like to see children before they begin kindergarten is that much of their learning will take place through their eyes. If they have a hard time seeing what their teacher is presenting to them or reading what's in front of them, they will be at a learning disadvantage from the get go. 

Even if a child has 20/20 vision, we still like to monitor them throughout their school-age years. I've often said to parents that we don't just want a child to see clearly, but we want them to see comfortably as well. There are muscles in and around the eyes that must function efficiently in order for a student keep up with their visual demands. It's not unusual for a student to see perfectly clearly far away, while at the same time struggling with headaches, eyestrain, or intermittent blurry vision while reading. Generally we see these struggles emerge after a grade change where there is a large increase in workload. For example, a child may be completely asymptomatic throughout elementary school, but a few weeks into middle school they may begin to get headaches at the end of the school day or have difficulty finishing their homework without eyestrain. If a child does present with symptoms of visual fatigue, we can often prescribe them glasses to help them in the classroom or with their homework while their visual system matures to the point that they can comfortably meet their visual demands. 

We also advise keeping an eye on your child's study habits. Make sure their book or screen isn't too close to their face. A comfortable reading distance for the eyes is at least 16" away. Also make sure there is good lighting where your child is reading or studying. They shouldn't be trying to read in a dim or dark room, nor should they be looking at a screen in a dark room. They also shouldn't be looking at a screen within at least 30 minutes, ideally closer to an hour, before they need to be asleep. We are finding that middle school and high school age children are not getting enough sleep, which is likely affecting their attention and mood during the school day. Looking at digital devices close to bed time can make it even more difficult for a child, or anyone for that matter, to fall asleep. Make them read their AP Economics book before bed instead of perusing Instagram. And then after they're asleep, go borrow their AP Econ book and read it so you can go to sleep instead of perusing your Instagram.

Making sure that our kids are striking a balance between outdoor and indoor activities is important as well. Clearly our kids need to do their homework and study for tests, but they need to spend some time outdoors whenever possible. Studies have shown that at least an hour of outdoor activities every day is ideal for visual development. Just make sure you are at least trying to get them to wear sunglasses if they are outdoors for any significant period of time. 

The bottom line is that children need routine eye exams just like they need to see their dentist and pediatrician for regular check-ups. Even if a child isn't complaining about seeing the board in class, they could be struggling with more subtle issues like intermittent blurry vision while reading or vision related headaches. Or sometimes they don't even know what they should be seeing clearly or don't want to admit that they're not seeing clearly. At the very least, just making sure their eyes are healthy is reason enough to get them checked. Fortunately glasses are fairly cool now, so kids are generally fighting wearing them less often. And for those that need glasses but refuse to wear them, soft contact lenses or CRT (corneal refractive therapy) lenses mat be an option as well. So if your child is over 5 and hasn't had a comprehensive eye exam, or even if it's been a few years, give us a call this Fall and we'll make sure their eyes are ready to help them learn this school year. 
Fall Sale and New Product News!!!

From now until the end of November, all in-stock Chloe frames are 30% off! This sale is valid  even if you are using insurance!
Plus if you have VSP, you already get an extra $20 added to your frame benefit for Chloe frames

And in with the new... we are very excited to announce that we are carrying Balenciaga, a beautiful new frame line from Paris. Some of the frames look more like a work of art than a pair of glasses. They just hit the shelves yesterday, some come in and check out our newest designer frame line !

 



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