Thank goodness for Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening.
Today was not a regular pre school day for the Little Man but because there was a vision screening today, I made the effort to get him in to be tested, even though I had no worries about his eyesight at all.
Man, was I wrong!
He could not read anything below the third line. I took my glasses off and could see all but the bottom line quite clearly and my eyes are pretty pathetic.
His response?
"Well I can see small things up close, it's just silly expecting me to see small things that far away."
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/initiatives/steps/index.asp
The lady sent him off with a teacher to have a very serious chat with me. If I wasn't so pragmatic she would have scared the pants off me. I guess that was the idea. She informed me that they get about one child per centre referred on for further testing and 12% are discovered to have a serious undiagnosed sight problem. At this point I was thinking, "OK, it's serious shes inferring that's him", then she went on to tell me that next week I would get the letter telling me to follow it up with either, an Optometrist who deals specifically with Kids, get on the waiting list for the free clinic at RNSH or get my GP to refer me to an opthamologist. She then cleared her throat and suggested I take the last option, again forcing me to realise how serious this is.
The good news is that finding out at 4 or 5 increases the possibility that it can be helped by exercises. Later discover would definitely mean glasses.
And to think, I had no idea and I almost didn't bother going in for the screening!
Have you had your pre schooler's vision screened?
Today I'm participating in Thankful Thursday with Kate says stuff. Check out what everyone else is thankful for today.
Certainly is something to be thankful for. hope you get your next appointments quickly
ReplyDeleteWow, I think I should maybe have my kids' eyes tested now. None of them have ever had it done :o
ReplyDeleteSo glad the issue has been picked up at such a young age!
My son is legally blind (which was diagnosed soon after his birth) and my husband and I both wear glasses so we have always been careful to get our kids' eyes tested. My poor eyesight was discovered when I was in kindergarten - my parents got absolutely blasted by the eye tester for letting me go so long - how were they to know when I didn't even know that one of my eyes was lazy???? The good news is, you have the chance to help your son's eyesight and the best chance to fix things is before the age of 8 so hopefully it will all be good. Good luck with it all!
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