Vision Screenings vs. Comprehensive Eye Exams: What Parents Should Know

As a parent, you want to give your child every advantage possible—especially when it comes to school success. While backpacks and school supplies are essential, there’s one item often overlooked: a thorough eye exam.

Many schools offer basic vision screenings, but these quick checks can create a false sense of security. At Today’s Vision Richmond, we want to help parents understand the difference between school screenings and comprehensive eye exams—and why your child needs more than just a quick glance at the eye chart.

What Is a Vision Screening?

Vision screenings are usually conducted at schools or pediatrician offices. They involve simple tests like reading letters from a distance and are designed to flag potential issues. While helpful, these screenings:

• Only check for basic distance vision

• Often miss eye teaming, tracking, and focusing problems

• Don’t assess eye health

• Can result in false negatives (missing problems) or false positives (unnecessary referrals)

In other words, your child might pass a school screening and still have undetected vision issues that affect their ability to read, write, or focus in class.

What Happens in a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

A comprehensive eye exam is performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist and evaluates far more than just how well your child sees. At Today’s Vision Richmond, our pediatric eye exams include:

• Visual acuity testing (near and distance vision)

• Eye movement and coordination assessments

• Depth perception and focusing ability

• Examination of the eye’s internal and external health

• Discussion of symptoms like headaches, eye rubbing, or squinting

These detailed evaluations help catch conditions like amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (eye misalignment), or uncorrected refractive errors that can interfere with learning and development.

Why Early Detection Matters

Children don’t always know what “clear vision” looks like, so they may not report problems. If left untreated, even minor vision issues can lead to frustration, poor academic performance, or behavioral challenges.

By catching these issues early through a comprehensive exam, you’re setting your child up for greater confidence and comfort—both in and out of the classroom.

Back-to-School Tip: Don’t Wait!

Appointments book up fast before the school year starts. Be proactive—schedule your child’s comprehensive eye exam today to ensure they’re ready to learn, grow, and thrive with clear, healthy vision.

Call our office or book online with Today’s Vision Richmond today!