Preserve Vision Florida provides vision screenings for thousands of children each year. Check our schedule for information about upcoming sessions. Thanks to generous funding from the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, United Way and many other organization, we are able to provide many screenings at no cost to parents/guardians.
Vision Skills Needed in School
- Near vision. The ability to see clearly and comfortably at 10-13 inches
- Distance vision. The ability to see clearly and comfortably beyond arm’s length
- Binocular coordination. The ability to use both eyes together.
- Eye movement skills. The ability to aim the eyes accuraltely, move them smoothly across a page and shift them quickly and accurately from one object to another.
- Focusing skills. The ability to keep both eyes accurately focused at the proper distance to see clearly and to change focus
- Peripheral awareness. The ability to be aware of things located to the side while looking straight ahead.
- Eye/hand coordination. The ability to use the eyes and hands together.
American Optometric Association. Children’s vision: school-age vision. Available at http://www.aoa.org.
Vision Problem Warning Signs
- Eyes turning inward (crossing) or outward
- Squinting
- Headaches
- Not doing as well in schoolwork as before
- Blurred or double vision
- Losing place while reading
- Avoiding close work
- Holding reading material closer than normal
- Tending to rub eyes
- Eyes tiring when reading or doing schoolwork
- Turning or tilting head to use one eye only
- Making frequent reversals when reading or writing
- Using finger to maintain place when reading
- Consistently performs below potential
US Dept. of Health and Human Services. AHRQ. Put Prevention into Practice: Child Health Guide.
