What a STOP sign can tell you about your child's vision...

Every optician knows the significance of the phrase "The trees have LEAVES!" These are often the first words a child receiving her first pair of glasses utters (and- sure enough- it's the first thing I said as a 6 year old wearing glasses for the first time). Inevitably, mom or dad explains they didn't realize their child's vision was blurry until a note from school arrived- even as their child begins to gleefully discover all the things around her she could never see before...

Unfortunately, blurred vision often goes unnoticed because- unlike a toothache- the child has no idea something is wrong. To a nearsighted child, trees are big green clumps- and that's just how trees look. Fortunately, you can use any STOP sign as a gauge of how well your child sees (just keep reading to learn how).

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), infants should have their first comprehensive eye exam at 6 months of age. Children then should have additional eye exams at age 3, and just before they enter the first grade — at about age 5 or 6. It's important to note that blurred vision is not the only problem that can affect your child's eyes. It's also important to understand vision develops in the first 7 years of life (issues that can be addressed before that age are sometimes not correctable later in life). If you have a child who has never seen an eye doctor (Optometrist), you should schedule an eye examination today.

Okay, so how can you use a STOP sign to determine if your child is nearsighted? The standard letter on a STOP sign is 250mm tall. The size of a 20/20 letter on your doctor's eye chart is just under 9mm. By applying a little math, this means a person who sees 20/20 should be able to read the letters on a STOP sign from about 580' away (that's about two football fields for the dads out there).

Next time your child is in the car or you're walking through your neighborhood, ask him or her to tell you when they can read the letters on an approaching STOP sign. Keep in mind many children are competitive and will want to read them from as far away as possible (and they probably already know what the sign says), so be sure to emphasize you want to know when they can read the individual letters. For reference, here is the STOP sign next to my house seen from 600' away (apologies for all the debris on the road, but it's Summer and it's Texas- and we had a hail storm yesterday :^). BTW, I checked and the letters on my STOP sign are just over 250mm tall (score one for Federal Regulations)...

If your child can read the letters of the STOP sign from this distance- great! If your child can only read the letters from a few houses away, chances are she's nearsighted. Either way, if she hasn't had a recent eye exam you should schedule one at the earliest convenience. Obviously, this isn't an overly scientific measure of vision. Additionally, your eye care practitioner will determine if BOTH eyes see clearly- which is VERY important for visual development. In some cases, a child will have only one eye that does not see well. Left untreated, vision in the "blurry eye" may not fully develop. Additionally, there are numerous rare- but serious- ocular health issues that may not cause noticeably blurry vision but are easily detectable during an eye examination.

Hopefully, your child sees well and is able to enjoy the visual world around them. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many children in the United States. Approximately one in four children in the US has a visual problem that is serious enough to affect learning. If your child is blessed with good vision, you might consider contributing to an organization dedicated to improving the vision of American children who are not so fortunate- the Essilor Vision Foundation. Nearly one in four parents cannot afford to provide eyewear to their children, and each year the Foundation works with local Optometrists to identify and correct visual challenges for thousands of children- some of whom may go to school with your own children. To learn more about the Essilor Vision Foundation, visit https://www.evfusa.org/ and consider making a donation (I do, and I've seen first hand the impact better vision can have in a child's life).

Pete Hanlin, ABOM is a master optician with 30 years experience in the ophthalmic industry, and is employed by Essilor of America- the world's leading manufacturer of eyeglass lenses. This article is not intended as medical advice (except for the recommendation to schedule an eye examination for your child :^).