time to make the appointment,” she says. that sees a good-sized population of youngsters. They
“Look for things like excessive eye rubbing and should work well with children and help put them at
complaints of headaches or eye strain.” says Sterling ease immediately, as some of the office equipment can be
Optical Manager Robin Stettner. “Kids who want glasses a bit frightening to someone who’s never seen it before.
may fake it, but be attentive. Kids are kids, but they are Dr. Collins says he tells children visiting for their
also people, too.” first exam what they won’t get from their visit. “I tell
To find out if your child is faking it, Dr. Collins says them that, unlike some doctor’s visits, they’ll never get a
you can do an informal test at home to see if your child’s needle or any pain from an eye exam,” he says.
difficulties are real or imagined, even if he or she is too But the rest of the office staff should also have a
young to complain of eye strain, read or play video good rapport with children. It can help even children
games. “But it is hard to say what is really wrong without who don’t want to get glasses but have to, feel more
an actual eye exam,” he adds. comfortable.
“The staff person should include the child when
An Added Bonus talking about the frames, getting down on their knees
Unlike a lot of other organs, the eye is full of blood to speak at the child’s level,” Stettner says. “They
vessels that are easy to see by trained professionals. As a should also not talk down to a child with ‘baby’ talk or
result, lots of other physical ailments—including high young language.”
blood pressure and diabetes—can often be detected Before you schedule an appointment, ask parents
during a routine eye exam. of your child’s classmates or sports team about the
“Anything that affects the vascular system can eye doctors they use. Next, take a visit and observe the
be virtually diagnosed from the optic nerve and the interaction. Is the staff attentive to the children? Would
retina,” Dr. Collins says. “We can also detect immune the waiting or exam room scare your child? Does the
reactions and seasonal allergies by the blood vessels in doctor explain what he is going to do before he does it?
the retina.” Problems detected usually warrant a referral Don’t be afraid to ask how long the exam will take and
to the primary doctor by Dr. Collins—all the more what type of tests will be performed so you can give
reason to add the eye doctor to your child’s list of your son or daughter an idea of what to expect during
yearly “to do’s.” the visit. A little bit of homework before taking your
child in can save everyone a lot of anxiety later on.
Choosing the Right Doctor for Your Child
Like any doctor, it is a good idea to find an optometrist
Felicia Hodges is the editor of Tri-County Woman magazine. Her
that either specializes in children’s optometry or one
now 15-year-old son, Malcolm, gets his eyes checked every year.
•Visiontestsshouldalwaysincludechecksformyopia,(near-sightedness),hyperopia
(farsightedness), astigmatism (mis-shaped refractive surface) and strabismus (one eye turns
farther out or in than the other). the exam may also include tests that check depth perception,
binocularity (using both eyes equally) and other convergence difficulties like amblyopia
(reduced vision in one or both eyes). If a test you expected to be conducted was not, ask the
doctor why it was excluded.
•Askaboutatesttodetectcolorblindness.OnlyaboutsevenpercentofU.S.maleshavethe
disorder (and only one percent of the female population), but things like corrective lenses can
be used to help those who suffer from blue-green deficiency.
•Findoutifyourchild’sglassescanbemadefrompolycarbonate,animpact-resistantmaterial
that many eye care specialists recommend for all children under 18 and anyone who plays
sports. Unlike plastic and glass lenses, polycarbonate does not shatter if dropped or hit. It
tends to costs a bit more than scratch-resistant plastic lenses so check with your insurance
carrier to be sure if they will cover the tab.
www.tricountywoman.com I 17
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