Guest Author
Did you know that nearly one in every 20 children has a vision issue like amblyopia?
That means that approximately one child in every classroom in Florida will be dealing with vision issues that they might not be able to clearly define or understand.
Amblyopia, often known as ‘lazy eye,” is a common vision issue in young children. But more than that, it’s the No. 1 cause of permanent vision loss in children. Yet amblyopia, if caught early enough, is entirely preventable and treatable.
Too often, vision issues like amblyopia cannot be seen by the naked eye, requiring a pediatrician or ophthalmologist to provide age-appropriate screenings. But, many parents and guardians are unsure of how when to screen and how often.
This August, the Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO), along with their charitable arm, The For Eye Care Foundation, Inc. (FECF), will be sharing resources with parents and guardians about the need for early vision screenings, the impact they can have on preventative eye care, and how often children should be screened.
With the science and technology available to us, no child should ever have to suffer a preventable vision issue. For more information, be sure to visit MDEye.org/Amblyopia.
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David B. Cano, M.D. is managing partner of Cano & Manning Eye Center, PLLC. He also serves as president of the For Eye Care Foundation.
