August is Children's Eye Health and Safety Month.

Children face unique eye health challenges, including injury, infection, reading difficulties and nearsightedness.According to the American Optometric Association, 80 percent of what a child learns is through his or her eyes. The inability to see clearly can affect a child's physical, mental and social development, which in turn can affect academic and athletic performance andself-esteem. Many times a child is unaware and won't complain if their vision isn't normal.Early detection of vision problems is crucial, as untreated vision problems can impair development, affect learning, and possibly lead to permanent vision loss.As you plan back-to-school immunizations, shopping and class orientation, schedule an appointment for your child to receive a comprehensive eye examination. It'simportant to look for these signs of possible vision problems:• 3D movies: 3D movies require eyes to process information as a team, so difficulty viewing 3D content can be a sign of underlying vision issues. After watching a 3D movie, look for these "3D" signs of vision problems: discomfort, dizziness and the inability to appreciate 3D content.• Squinting while reading or watching television.• Difficulty hitting or catching a ball:Vision impairment might be affecting hand-eye coordination.•Digital eye strain, which is caused by frequent or prolonged use of computers, smartphones or tablets.A school's vision screening does not look for the same problems that a comprehensive eye exam does. A child's first comprehensive eye exam should occur between 6 months and 12 months, again at age 3 and before entering school at age 5 or 6.