Eye Exams Help Students Succeed (NAPSA)—Although 80 percent of what children learn comes through their eyes, many do not have a comprehensive eye exam during the school year. According to a recent survey by VSP Vision Care, twothirds of children under 18 haven’t had an eye exam in thelast year, and morethanhalf have never had a comprehensive exam. With increased computer and video game use these days, there’s more reason than ever to makesure yourchild’s eyes are getting the care they need. Computers + Increased Use = Eyestrain The U.S. Census reports that 54 million U.S. kids spend more than four hours a day on computers. What’s the result? Manychildren experience Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), which causes headaches, eyestrain and blurred vision. This can hurt a student’s classroom performance and can lead to behavioral problems. Five Tips To Help Prevent Children’s CVS: 1. Take your child for a comprehensive eye exam. 2. Apply the 20/20 rule—every 20 minutes haveyour child take a break and look away from the computer screen for at least 20 seconds. 3. Change the viewing angle of the monitor for your child’s use: Keep it 20 inches away from their eyes, with the center 15 degrees below their eyes. 4. Reduce glare on the screen Make sure your child has a comprehensive eye exam to rule out any vision problems that might affect learning. by lowering bright overhead lighting. 5. Encourage your youngsterto blink often. Blinking bathes the eyes in tears, which reduces dryness. Student + Eye Exam = Many Benefits The benefits of an eye exam can extend far beyond the classroom, say the experts at VSP Vision Care. Healthy vision lets kids succeed on the playground or at home reading their favorite book. Ultimately, an eye exam mayeven help unlock a struggling student’s potential and send him or her to the head of the class, while improving the child’s everydaylife. For more information on pre- venting CVSor to find an eye doctor nearby, visit www.vsp.com.
