Video Game Detects Vision Problems in Children

More than 150 million Americans need corrective lenses to help with refractive error conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. A considerable number of these people are children. Approximately five million elementary school children suffer from vision problems. Unfortunately, roughly 80% of children never receive an eye exam.

Most common vision disorders, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can easily be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or LASIK surgery. But if your child never receives an eye examination, he or she may go for years without addressing the problem.

It is extremely important to evaluate eye problems in children at an early age. If their vision disorders go undetected, it can lead to long-term problems in school and in social situations. A new video game has recently come out that makes eye screening both easy and enjoyable for children.

The game Eye Spy can help ophthalmologists discover refractive errors in children. The game is a treasure hunt. Special glasses with red and blue lenses are worn to aid in the vision screening process. The lenses are different colors to guarantee that each eye is evaluated individually.

While an eye exam with an ophthalmologist will generally cost around $75 per child, you can get the game for only $5. It doesn't take a math teacher to figure out that you are getting a great deal with the video game.

It is important to note that the FDA has only approved LASIK surgery for people over the age of 18. If your child suffers from a vision problem, he or she will need to wear glasses or contact lenses until the age of 18 before considering LASIK as an option.