LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — With the start of a new school year approaching, UofL Health reminded parents Thursday about back-to-school checkups, including eye exams.
UofL said excessive exposure to indoor screen time and a lack of outdoor daylight contribute to nearsightedness in kids and teens.
In Kentucky, children ages 3-6 entering public school for the first time are required to get an eye exam no later than Jan. 1 of the school year.Â
Health officials said getting an annual eye exam can better address vision concerns.
"We want to catch eye problems early on because a child might have amblyopia, might have a lazy eye, may need glasses, and that can be treated easily if it's corrected early," said Dr. Joern Soltau, an ophthalmologist with UofL Health-Eye Institute. "If you wait too long, the problem can persist and you may not be able to correct them."
Soltau also suggests using the 20/20 rule, where you relax your eyes for 20 seconds after looking at a screen for 20 minutes.
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