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Kids in New Mexico will be heading back-to-school very soon, but having the proper eyewear is a year-round job. We talked to Dr. Drew Casey with Casey Optical Too about the signs you should look for when it comes to your kids eyecare. Vision issues are common in school-aged children, here's when you know it could be time to make an appointment. "There's a lot of similarities and differences in vision issues and behavioral issues," Dr. Casey said. "So if kids get really close to something, if they're not wearing glasses they get really close, or they find themselves pulling far away--squinting. If they kind of rub their head...closing an eye [when reading] a lot of that can be signs that they need to come in for an exam."
Dr. Casey shared his personal experience with vision issues. "A lot of time if kids don't like reading, myself actually, when I was a kid I didn't like reading because it hurt my head. So I would go in and I was actually diagnosed with convergence insufficiency, which is a pretty common condition." According to the American Optometric Association, convergence insufficiency is a condition where the eyes struggle to work together when focusing on nearby objects, such as during reading or screen use. The AOA says treatment options include vision therapy that trains the eyes and brain to better coordinate eye movements. Special lenses that help reduce eye strain or double vision could be another option.
At Casey Optical Too we see children ages 6 and older but you may want to get your kids screened a few years before that says Dr. Casey, "So we see kids starting at 6 years of age, but definitely having kind of a screening exam at 3 years is good, and then having that comprehensive exam at 6 years is awesome as well."
If you would like to schedule your children or teens for a back-to-school appointment, it's quick and easy to do at caseyopticaltoo.com just click on the schedule appointment tab at the very top of the screen. You can also call us at (505) 219-3113 or come into our office at 9000 Menaul Blvd NE to make an appointment in person.
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