Poor economy takes toll on children's vision

September 7, 2010

The economic recession affects many U.S. citizens, and according to Redding.com, it may be taking a toll on children's eye health. Some parents who do not have health insurance policies may neglect to take their son or daughter to the eye doctor for a checkup, which could cause a vision problem to go undetected.

Children who aren't able to see well may suffer in the classroom, as a large portion of learning requires good vision. Poor eye health could have an effect on a young person's grades or the amount of information they retain.

"I know that it can be difficult in these times for parents to spring for things like vision and dental exams, where there isn't a problem that they know about," Phyllis Klein, public relations agent for the California Optometric Association, told the new source. "But they have to know that 60 percent of children who are considered problem learners in school, or those with bad behavior school, really have an undetected vision problem."

According to the American Optometric Association, signs that a child may have vision problems include frequent eye rubbing, a short attention span or losing one's place when reading.