Iris optometry encourages adding an eye exam to your school year

We talked to Dr. Mark Langer of Iris Optometry and Opticians in the Village Green Mall about childrens eye health.

OK so kids are back in school, why is now the perfect time to come see you?

Let’s set those kids up for success! 80 percent of classroom learning is visual, and of the children with visual defects, the vast majority of those can be easily corrected with glasses. And I’m not just talking about nearsighted or farsighted, those are easy. But 1 in 4 children that can see perfectly in the distance silently struggle with focusing on near tasks and THOSE are the eye conditions that often go undiagnosed and untreated. So a big part of my exams for school age kids are spent checking the ocular muscles and focusing systems, because if left untreated, those issues can really hold kids back from realizing their academic potential.

Are kids eye exams free?

Exactly! Up to 19 years old, eye exams are fully covered by BC Health. Some places still charge for kid’s exams, but at IRIS we don’t, partly because you never want cost to be a reason kids don’t receive care, but also kids’ eye exams are fun; when you’re hitting that 3:00 wall and a young family comes in, they elevate the entire clinic with that youthful energy. It’s awesome.

To book an appointment to see Dr. Mark Langer visit in store or online at https://iris.ca/en/find-a-store/vernon-village-green-centre

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