Six per cent of children aged six to eight have myopia. By age 13, the rate rises to nearly 30 per cent
When your child comes home from school and you ask what they did that day, do they ever mention squinting at the board? Or struggling to follow along with assignments? Probably not.
As a kindergarten teacher, I see these quiet struggles far more often than you’d think. One year, I had a student who began the school year full of enthusiasm, confidence and curiosity. Over time, however, I noticed a shift. She started losing focus, fell behind in her work, avoided participating in class and often stared off in a different direction during lessons. She no longer raised her hand like she used to. It wasn’t until I noticed and recommended a vision screening to her parents that we discovered the real issue—she simply couldn’t see the board. Her behaviour hadn’t changed. Her vision had.
It’s more common than you think. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is now being diagnosed in Canadian children at an alarming rate, which increases with excess screen time. It affects just six per cent of kids aged six to eight, but that number jumps to nearly 29 per cent by ages 11 to 13. And while glasses can help in the short term, untreated or progressing myopia can lead to serious lifelong complications like retinal detachment, glaucoma and cataracts.
That’s why it’s so important to catch vision issues early.
Vision Health Month and Myopia Awareness Week (May 23 to 28) are reminders that seeing clearly isn’t just about eyesight—it’s about opportunity, confidence and academic success.
We make time for dentist appointments, physicals and vaccinations, but eye exams often get pushed down the list. That needs to change. In most provinces, children’s eye exams are publicly covered. Kids under 19 can access complimentary annual exams in places like Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec and more. The supports are there—families just need to know about them.
Programs like Better Sight. Better Grades. from FYidoctors help bridge this gap. The initiative allows students who may be struggling due to undiagnosed vision problems to get the care they need. FYidoctors then offers these children a comprehensive eye exam and, if needed, corrective eyewear at no cost. It’s a simple, powerful way to remove barriers to learning.
For children entering kindergarten and prescribed lenses for myopia, FYidoctors will cover the cost of their first lenses and frames.
But we can’t do it alone. Teachers and parents need to work together to protect kids’ vision. If you’re a parent, book an eye exam before the next school year starts—even if your child hasn’t complained about their sight. Many kids assume their blurry vision is normal because they’ve never known anything else. If you’re an educator, keep an eye out for the signs and take advantage of programs like Better Sight. Better Grades. to help students who might otherwise slip through the cracks.
The good news? Myopia can be managed and, in many cases, slowed through early detection. But first, we need to catch it.
Visit fyidoctors.com to learn more about how you can support your child’s vision and access resources through Better Sight. Better Grades.
Sonia Hooda is a kindergarten teacher at a public elementary school in Pickering, Ont.
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