RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—A new survey of nearly 1,500 participants—co-sponsored by VSP Vision Care and Prevent Blindness America—indicates that more than one in five 12- to 17-year-olds has difficulty seeing the classroom blackboard, with more than 25 percent complaining of headaches.

One possible reason? Almost two-thirds (66 percent) of children under the age of six have never had an eye exam by an eye doctor, the survey said.

Additional findings show that one in four six- to 11-year-olds wears prescription glasses, and that the prevalence of common eye conditions, as reported by parents, increases with the child’s age.

“The survey provides a clear example of why regular eye exams are so important as children progress in school,” said Gary Brooks, VSP Vision Care’s president. “The survey results reinforce the need for regular eye exams as kids’ eyes continue to change and adapt.”

PBA recommends that all children have their vision checked at infancy and regularly throughout childhood, and that if a child fails a vision screening, or parents are concerned about an eye or vision problem, the child should have a complete eye exam by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. ■