By Dr. Gary Goberville
Consider the gift of an EYE EXAM and give sight to a special child or adult in your life. A top reason for a child’s poor school performance is poor vision. Ten million school children in America have vision conditions that impact learning. Their first comprehensive eye assessment should be at six months of age. A test for problems such as retinal blastoma tests for visual acuity, excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Evaluating eye alignment and eye teaming ability should also be done. It is important to identify children who have risk factors at this stage. Beginning at age three, children should have an annual eye exam.
Eye-friendly toys, such as DIY wooden playhouse kits, help develop their eyes, brain and eye-hand coordination.
For children under two, toys and games such as brightly colored mobiles, blocks, balls and stacking toys are appropriate. Children four and up will enhance fine motor skills with magnetic letters, stringing beads, and video games. Avoid slingshots, dart guns and shooting toys for children under six. As in the movie A Christmas story, “You could shoot your eye out!”
Help preserve eyesight by gifting an Optomap laser retinal exam that evaluates the health of the inner layer of the eye. This detects problems that, if left untreated, may lead to serious eye problems that can lead to permanent vision loss. Diabetes and high blood pressure, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) destroys vision.
Adults spend countless hours at their computers, causing computer eyestrain. This can lead to neck and shoulder pain, decreased vision and reduced efficiency. The most common problems are related to improper eyeglasses. Computer users who are presbyopic (over 40) have a greater problem. Some are more comfortable with progressive lenses for proper range of distance. Another may be computer glasses that offer a greater field of vision from side to side. Your eye care specialist will assist you with the right decision. Eyeglasses are not only a necessity, but are also a fashion statement why not give a pair of unique glasses as a holiday gift for your family or friend?
We live where the sun always shines, and a terrific gift for someone you care for is a good pair of polarized sunglasses (prescription or not) to enhance vision, protect eyes from harmful UV rays and cause eye damage, And they look great, too!
Call for a complimentary refractive surgery consultation for a loved one by offering them a gift card for a LASIK procedure to eliminate distance glasses. Call for a gift card today!
Have any questions or need an eye exam. Contact Dr. Gary Goberville 954-344-3937
Dr. Gary Goberville, Optometric Physician
Eye Site Vision Center 2344 N. University Dr. Coral Springs