Eye See . . . Eye Learn is an eye health and vision program for kindergarten age children in Alberta.
80% of learning is visual, which makes
having a comprehensive eye exam an important start to a child’s learning journey. The
first step is to book an appointment with a doctor of optometry. They will check your child’s vision and eye health during an examination. These exams are
covered by Alberta Health. If it is determined that your child requires eyeglasses, they will receive a
free pair through the program. The doctor of optometry will order the glasses for you once the examination is complete. The glasses are covered by a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
A child is
eligible from the September they begin kindergarten to when they begin Grade One.
Did you know?
- 1 in 4 school-aged children has a vision problem.
- Children with vision problems are often misdiagnosed as having learning or behavioural disabilities.
- Eye health problems are detected through an eye exam.
- The sooner problems are treated, the more likely they can be corrected. Some conditions have a critical period and once the window passes, permanent visual loss can remain.
- Children are often unaware they have a vision issue as they believe what they are seeing is normal.
- 43% of children who have a vision or eye health problem can pass a basic vision screening or sight test. Children may have one eye that is doing most of the work, hiding the fact that the other eye is not functioning properly.