Program Helps Detect Vision Problems

SAN DIEGO -- Too often, parents don't realize their children need glasses until they are already behind in school.

The Alpha Vision Project is working to make sure children who have vision problems get glasses before they enter kindergarten and start facing the possibility of learning problems.

The Alpha Vision Project is funded by the First 5 Commission of San Diego and it travels to health fairs and day-care centers.

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Program Helps Detect Vision Problems

The vision test is painless and takes only a minute. A device can easily check children, as young as 6-months-old, for a variety of vision problems, including myopia/hyperopia, astigmatism, amblyopia, and strabismus.

"Eighty percent of what a child learns is through vision up to age 12. So, how to we expect children to learn if they can't see well," said Valeria Arita from the Alpha Vision Project.

Arita said if caught early, many vision problems are correctable.

Vision testers were at Vanessa Davila's day-care, tested her and discovered she had astigmatism.

"Her eye instead of being round is football shaped. So, when light reflects into one part of her eye it is like she is nearsighted. When it reflects into the other part of her eye, she is farsighted," mother Diana Davila said.

Vanessa got glasses shortly after the discovery.

Her parents may not have known anything was wrong until Vanessa started school.

"Usually, it's not caught until kids are in school because they have problems reading, seeing the board, or doing their homework in general," Arita said.

It took a little time, but Vanessa is used to her glasses.

"I wear them all the time. I don't need them when I play, but I need them when I wake up," Vanessa said.

If you would like more information about vision screening, you can call the Alpha Vision Project at (619) 285-9999.

Healthy Kids Expo

Join Project QKids, Pfizer and Blue Cross of California for the free Healthy Kids Expo on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. The expo will be held at the Rite Aid in Imperial Beach, 1856 Coronado Ave. Call (619) 424-7260.

Click here for more information.