Vision Health
Eye doctors play an important role for good vision health for you and your family. Regular eye exams help prevent diseases and disorders affecting the eyes. Finding and correcting eye problems early is important for proper vision.
Some signs and symptoms of an eye health or vision problem
The following may be symptoms of a vision-related problem:
- Wandering or crossed eyes
- Headaches
- Frequent covering, closing or rubbing of the eyes
- Turning or tilting the head
- Holding objects very close to face
- Using a finger to maintain place while reading
- Losing place while reading
- Omitting or confusing small words when reading
- Difficulty with school work
Unfortunately, many serious eye conditions don’t have obvious symptoms. Some eye diseases only show symptoms when the condition is severe and difficult to treat. Untreated problems can lead to permanent vision loss or vision disorders.
Therefore, regular eye exams are important for all ages. The Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) recommends:
- a first eye exam at six months of age,
- then before starting kindergarten,
- and annually until 19 years of age.
Vision health and children
Children may not know that they have a vision problem and can’t always tell you what they see. Vision problems may interfere with a child’s eye health and their learning and social development.
Regular eye exams are important to detect and correct vision problems early.
Comprehensive eye exams are free once every 12 months for children 0-19 years of age, once every 12 months, with a valid Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card.
Vision screening program for children in senior kindergarten
Public health offers vision screening in schools to children in Senior Kindergarten.
The goal of the vision screening program is for school-aged children to achieve optimal visual health
For more information
If you need more information, or if your child does not have a valid OHIP card, please contact us at 705.522.9200, ext. 220 or toll-free at 1.866.522.9200 ext. 220.
If you don’t already have an eye doctor, you don’t need a referral to book an eye exam.
To find an eye doctor near you visit www.findaneyedoctor.ca.
This item was last modified on October 24, 2023