Friday, June 19, 2015

If I Missed This Important Change In My Son, You May Miss It Too

This post is part of the YummyMummyClub.ca and Ontario Association of Optometrists #OntarioESEL sponsored program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors.

I have always been a mom who takes her kid to the doctor for regular check-ups. To the dentist, starting at 2 to make sure teeth were coming in as they should, and also to an Optometrist to have his vision checked, also starting at age 2.

When Mr. K went for his 3rd visit to the Optometrist, we discovered his prescription was +4.50 – that is pretty high for a 4 year old – and had we not scheduled this routine visit, we would not have known. He did not complain of headaches, he didn’t squint or hold things super close to his face. He gave us absolutely no indication that he was having any trouble seeing. I was shocked with the drastic change, and learned that kid’s eyes grow and change quite quickly when they are young, which is an important reason to have their eyes examined annually.

We went straight to pick out his glasses (I gave him free reign with what he wanted, I needed HIM to like them and want to wear them). He chose two pairs that he liked and we ordered them.

After he started wearing his new glasses he was watching a show on TV. He turned to me and said “Mommy, with my glasses eyes, I see the TV really good – my plain eyes don’t” – it just about broke my heart that he had been struggling for so long and yet he didn’t realize that it wasn’t normal. It’s amazing how the body can adjust and cope when it needs to.


Eye exams are covered for children through OHIP (in Ontario) until they are 19 years old, which means that Ontario parents don’t have to pay anything to have their kids` eyes examined. Nearly 25 % of kids have some sort of vision problem, and often parents (like us) have no idea, which is why having your child seen by an optometrist at a young age is important to catch any problems you may not have been aware of.

I am so thankful that we take the kids in for annual eye exams.

Mr. K wearing glasses like his mom!
If you visit an optometrist and discover that your child needs glasses, there is a great program for those of us in Ontario and some other provinces called the Eye See…Eye Learn® program that is run through the Ontario Association of Optometrists. It is available to all junior kindergarten students. As of July 1st, this program will be available across Ontario through participating Doctors of Optometry.

Take a look at this short video for more info about the program:


What does that mean? It means that any student who will be entering JK in September is eligible for their OHIP covered eye exam, as well as a pair of glasses (if needed) at NO CHARGE to the parents. The amazing thing about this program is that there is NO cost to participate in it.

For more information on the ESEL program, you can visit EyeSeeEyeLearn.ca, or connect with them on Facebook or Twitter.

Start your child’s school year off right like this mom did by taking part in the Eye See…Eye Learn program in Ontario. This program provides OHIP-insured eye exams and complimentary glasses for Junior Kindergarten students who are starting school in September.

13 comments:

  1. wow! thanks for the information. I didn't know you should take them every year at this age. Great post!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! Eye exams are SO important - especially in kids when their eyes change all the time!

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  2. “Mommy, with my glasses eyes, I see the TV really good – my plain eyes don’t." That totally got me Ashley, I felt your pain. I have worn glasses since a young age and now my daughter does. I remember how she felt the same way with reading (she loves to read, but the headaches were making her stop) but that changed once the glasses went on. She felt complete again. I love that this program is there to help others not have to go through times like this..

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment Suzanne! I am glad that she got back to reading once she got the glasses!

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  3. Firstly, your son is adorable! I really need to take my boys back. I dont think they are having trouble, but again, they don't always have headaches or other trouble. Thanks for the great reminder.

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  4. Took the doctors back in Britain 9 years before one of them thought to give me an eye test

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  5. Fortunately my grandson went for an eye exam at 5 yrs old, he has really bad eyesight but no one ever realised, no headaches etc. The kids themselves probably think they see like everyone else, they just don't know any better at that age. I love the idea of the ESEL programme and hope that all children get the chance to participate. Good eye sight is so important.

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    1. that's great that he has glasses now; Mr. K had no idea that he wasn't seeing properly either

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  6. I'm glad your son got his glasses.
    Here in NB it's $100 for an exam. That's a lot if you have a bunch of kids.

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    1. oh wow; we are very lucky that our provinical health plan covers exams until the age of 18.

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  7. It's great that he got glasses as soon as he needed them.

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