Vision Insurance: Your Child's Vision and Preparing for Unforeseen Problems
Today, 1 in 4 children has an undiagnosed vision problem.
Although, the chances of developing a vision problem are greater
if there is a history of eyesight problems in your family, many
children with no such family history encounter a troublesome
vision issue.
Television is not the only culprit responsible for the
deterioration of your child's eyesight. Children are now
spending an alarming amount of time in front of the computer
screen. Optometrists warn that heavy computer usage is known to
increase your chances of developing blurry and double vision.
Loss of vision is not to be taken lightly and the individuals
who are most affected are children. A child's untreated vision
problem can lead to learning and behavioral problems. Teachers
and parents often struggle trying to understand why a child is
not doing well in school or why they are acting out in the
classroom and at home. Many times the simple explanation is that
the child cannot read the blackboard or even the pages in front
of them. This frustrating situation can easily spiral out of
control if not attended to.
Currently in several Canadian provinces, coverage for eye exams
has been implemented. Provincial coverage differs, but most
terms specify that eye exams are only covered once every two
years and only if your child is under the age of 10. There are
many healthcare specialists who believe this to be inadequate.
It is impossible to gage when a child's vision will begin to
deteriorate, if at all, but factors such as heredity and
increased exposure to computer and television screens may speed
up the process. In order to properly monitor the health of your
children's eyes, it may be wise to plan a vision check-up more
often than every two years. Unfortunately, visiting an
optometrist every year can cost you as much as $150 for every
eye examination if your province does not provide coverage. In
order to fill the gaps left by provincial health coverage, it
may be sensible to purchase health insurance for your children.
Without an employer health insurance plan, parents might want to
consider supplemental vision insurance through a plan such as
Flexcare offered by Manulife
Financial which allows you to individually customize your
coverage. Plans such as DentalPlus Basic or Enhanced allot you a
specified amount of money towards vision-related services, or
additional add-on vision insurance coverage.
In many cases, children are unaware that their eyesight is
deteriorating. The untreated eye problem can result in learning
and behavioral problems that negatively affect a child's life.
With proper attention to vision care, including regular
check-ups, unforeseen problems can be avoided.
About the author:
Anna Dorbyk is the editor for Canada Health
Insurance and is a graduate student in Communication Studies
at Concordia University. For more information on health
insurance for Canadians please visit www.canada-health-
insurance.com.
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