State turns its eye on vision testing for students

Annette Shelly has seen the impact an early eye exam can make in a child’s life.

Her 5-year-old son, Riley, developed astigmatism at age 3.

Now the St. Charles resident is applauding a new Illinois law requiring new and first time students to get eye exams prior to entering school. Previously, students only needed to take an eye exam while attending school.

Pending the governor’s approval, another new law may alter the age students receive a physical examination from fifth to sixth grade.

Riley, who will start kindergarten at Ferson Creek Elementary School this fall, has his exam certification and glasses ready.

“I’m glad I did it early,” Shelly said. “Some parents think it’s an inconvenience, but I think in the long run it’s very beneficial.”

One local ophthalmologist is heralding the state’s decision.

Dr. Eric Quartetti, of Fox Valley Ophthalmology, 40W330 LaFox Road, St. Charles, said the sooner children get their vision checked, the sooner diagnoses such as amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, can be treated.

For every 100 children, amblyopia affects two to three. It occurs when the vision in one eye is reduced because the eye and brain are not working together properly. The eye itself looks normal, but it is not being used normally because the brain is favoring the other eye.

“If it’s detected early and treated, many times it can make the eyes normal,” Quartetti said.

Quartetti recommends children get their vision checked as early as 3 years old. He said it is unfair to rely solely on pediatricians when it comes to vision.

“They do a great job,” he said. “But they have to check all of the child’s systems when they’re working with a child who has an attention span of two minutes. That’s a huge burden to put on them.”

School districts in the Tri-Cities are trying to get this information out to parents as quickly as possible.

The new law will help identify children who don’t know they need glasses, or choose not to tell parents, said John Knewitz, St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 assistant superintendent for student services.

“They are not able to see well and don’t really realize they have a problem,” Knewitz said. “They may have had (vision problems) for some period of time and it’s normal to them.”