skip to main content

Monday, May 29, 2023

play newscast audioPlay

Advocates call for a climate peace clause in U.S.-E.U. trade talks, negotiations yield a tentative debt ceiling deal, an Idaho case unravels federal water protections, and a wet spring eases Iowa's drought.

play newscast audioPlay

Gold Star families gather to remember loved ones on Memorial Day, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says the House will vote on a debt ceiling bill this week and America's mayors lay out their strategies for summertime public safety.

play newscast audioPlay

The growing number of "maternity care deserts" makes having a baby increasingly dangerous for rural Americans, a Colorado project is connecting neighbor to neighbor in an effort to help those suffering with mental health issues, and a school district in Maine is using teletherapy to tackle a similar challenge.

Vision Checks Important as Kids Head Back to School

play audio
Play

Wednesday, August 1, 2018   

PHOENIX – Many Arizona kids are heading back to school this month, and doctors say when they return to the classroom it's important to make sure they can see well.

About 80 percent of what a child learns at school happens visually. When children have undetected vision problems, said Dr. Amy Davis, a pediatric optometrist, they can miss out on major portions of their education.

"One in four school-aged children have vision problems," she said. "So it's a huge, huge issue to make sure that little people see well when they're in school."

Children who qualify for Medicaid or the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System are covered for vision exams and glasses up to age 21. For children who don't qualify for Medicaid and don't have vision insurance, a number of community programs offer free or low-cost vision screenings, including the Lion's Club's Kidsight program. More information for Arizona parents is online at eyesonlearning.org.

The American Optometric Association recommends children get their eyes checked starting at six months of age, then again at age 3. For schoolchildren, eye exams are recommended before first grade, then every two years after that.

According to Dr. Kelly Varney, an assistant professor at the Arizona College of Optometry at Midwestern University, those checks are important, even if a child isn't showing any obvious signs of poor vision.

"Kids can complain of things like headaches when they read, or they get really sleepy, and a lot of times you have no idea that the root of that could be vision," Varney said. "A lot of the issues that kids will struggle with in school don't appear to be a vision thing, because the kids won't always say, 'it's blurry when I look at something.' "

Varney added that children can have a number of vision issues beyond just nearsightedness or farsightedness. She said vision exams will test for astigmatism, eye-tracking issues and eye health.


get more stories like this via email

A new ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court means ephemeral streams, such as this one in the mountains east of San Diego, are no longer protected by the Waters of the United States rule. (Chris Hunkeler/Flickr)

Environment

play sound

The U.S. Supreme Court has gutted federal protections for much of the country's wetlands. The court found that the Waters of the United States rule…


Environment

play sound

Environmental advocates say the U.S. Supreme Court has dealt a major blow to the Clean Water Act and to Maine's ability to protect some of its most …

Environment

play sound

A U.S. Supreme Court case that began in Idaho has weakened protections across the nation under the Clean Water Act. The justices on Thursday handed …


As workers try to move forward from the pandemic's aftereffects, labor leaders, including the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, say protections and stronger benefits should help get their careers back on track. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Minnesota legislators adopted a lot of major policies in this year's session, including actions to support workers in many different fields. State …

Environment

play sound

The nonprofit Trust for Public Land has published its annual ParkScore rankings, and some area cities are high on the list. Washington, D.C.…

The "Water Year" typically starts on Oct. 1, and represents the time when new water Iowa receives goes to help the next year's growing season. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

For the first time in nearly three years, the widespread drought that has had Iowa in its grip is predicted to end. The latest drought outlook says …

Health and Wellness

play sound

As the opioid epidemic continues to take its toll, a Virginia group is working to keep people safe. The Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition in Roanoke …

Social Issues

play sound

A new report outlined the importance of student debt relief to workers in New York and across the country. An American Federation of Teachers …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021