That time again: Back to School
Blog vol 5.11. That time again: Back to School.
When the flyers and adverts from retailers start appearing in your feeds or in your mailbox, it is that time again. When I was a kid, it was time to go to Sears or Bukovetsky’s ( a local Timmins retailer) to get new, longer pants and new, bigger shoes for school, plus the new math drawing kit complete with pencils and erasers. Some of the more privileged kids got a new lunch box and matching thermos decorated with their favourite cartoon characters. I was back to brown bagging, but hey, we did have food.
Really, the start of our year is September, at least here in Canada. That is when after-school programs start up, the sports leagues, school itself, and so many other programs and events. I was always excited to be getting back to class with friends and new classes. Pretty exciting.
We have been busy seeing a lot of our younger patients for follow ups and checkups before the calendar flips. There is a lot of change in preteen bodies, and unsurprisingly, all that growth causes changes in vision. We have used the optical biometer to measure axial lengths for one year now. We can see even subtle changes and we have seen the many methods to slow myopia down working, very nice.
The research shows that anywhere from a 30-40% reduction in nearsightedness can happen when you apply the current treatment. We are seeing this with our own patients, which is really encouraging. Please get your children checked; we have included this testing with our regular OHIP exam.
We also use the Ontario Association of Optometrists Eye See Eye Learn program that provides free eyeglasses for qualifying JK’s and SK’s.
Good habits have much to do with good eye health:
Moderation in everything,
Reduced screen times (some form of governance is required),
Holding the screen further away to reduce strain,
Getting outside in that precious sunlight,
Eating a balanced diet,
Read real books, a great way to educate and a great workout for your eyes,
Regular eye checkups to catch changes as they happen.
A prosperous year to all!
Til next week
The good doctor
