| "I was shocked in preschool when my daughter Leah (then 4) came home with a note saying she failed a vision screening. Indeed, we went to a pediatric ophthalmologist who said Leah had severe astigmatism in both eyes. Astigmatism makes everything blurry, and kids who have it are usually born with it -- it doesn't develop. The good news is it usually doesn't get worse. "I asked the doctor how strict I should be about making Leah wear the glasses. Her response was, 'Once she puts them on, she won't take them off.' "When we saw her glasses and the degree of correction, I cried. The whole world had been a complete blur to her for all her years and we never knew. She didn't sit close to the television or squint or hold books very close ... because that wouldn't make it any better. She gave no clue that I could tell that she had any trouble. That was just the way the world was to her. "I believe not being able to see much for those first years affected her personality. She was always cautious about entering into new situations. Not clingy, just observing a long time before joining in. I thought she was just sort of sizing things up socially. Now I realize she was just trying to see what was going on. Her fine motor skills got better at this point, too. "I think vision screening should be a part of pediatric exams. We had all our checkups. Thank G-d she was in preschool, or we wouldn't have found out until kindergarten. I don't know why the doctor didn't test. She only would ask if we noticed any problems and since we didn't, she didn't.
Want to see more?
| 
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families. 
