Is “eight eyes” the right term for someone who wears glasses and readers? Ah, heck, maybe I should just stick with “blind as a bat!”
Vision is on my mind because I saw the eye doc yesterday. The news was great—no new specs needed! As I waited for my appointment, I struck up a conversation with Colette (an exuberant fourth grader who was wearing the cutest glasses ever) and her mom. Colette began wearing glasses as a four-year-old. We had a few good laughs about how to keep a four-year-old in glasses! Then we marveled over the fact that all three of us began wearing glasses because of input from our teachers: Colette was in preschool, her mom was in first grade, and I was in third grade. I tell you what, teachers are just darn amazing—don’t you agree?
This picture is of me in fifth grade. What a kook! I truly thought I was something!
Thanks for ALL the many things you do!
Diane
It is interesting that you bring this subject up. My daughters teacher recently mentioned to me about my daughter possibly having vision issues. Lo and behold, when we get her eyes examined it was the muscles in her eyes not working correctly instead of her vision. Thank goodness her teacher was aware enough to notice something was not right. My daughter was having double vision and did not recognize that she was having it. To her it just looked normal.
I remember when I got my first pair of glasses it was like someone washed the windows. Thank goodness, as teachers we often can spot vision and hearing problems while children are young.
I got glasses in third grade, but because I actually wanted glasses, and a checkup showed I needed them. Seven years later, after a thorough eye exam it was discovered that my progressive vision loss was due to a brain tumor. Four brain surgeries later and two months of radiation treatments, I’m OK, although I’m blind on my right eye and my left eye is not great. I dont mean to scare anyone, just that it’s very important to get regular checkups, and parents to pay attention to any signs that your child may need to see a doctor/specialist.
I think we can all be thankful for some incredible teachers in our lives. Teachers have so many responsibilities on their plates. We have our children’s health in our hands as well. I think you look adorable. Keep up the good vision.
I NEEDED glasses very early, but didn’t WANT glasses at all. I memorized the eye chart to keep passing the very basic screening done at my school. When my eighth grade teacher’s miniature handwriting on the board had me in knots I finally consented to actually looking at the eye chart – and glasses immediately followed. I never realized what I was missing. Thanks, Mrs G!
It was second grade for me–my teacher noticed that I completed all the work that she had written on the board when my reading group came up to the front of the room, but that I didn’t complete any work she wrote on the board after that…because I couldn’t see it from my seat! When I walked out of the optician’s, I looked at this huge maple tree and commented “Look at all the leaves!” Apparently I had thought trees really looked like kids’ drawings – a huge green balloonish shape at the top of the trunk! Who knew that green shape was made of individual leaves?? That was over 40 years ago, and my mother still talks about it! If my teacher hadn’t noticed, who knows how long I’d have gone without seeing the leaves for the trees?!
I was in thrid grade, too! Can’t remember if I liked tham or not… and I still wear them today. I am sure that my daughters will need specs, too – my hubby and I are blind as bats! As an educator, I can’t tell you how many parents I have informed that their children needed glasses… makes me feel good to know I am helping on one way or another!
My daughter’s second grade teacher was a miracle. My daughter was very bright, doing very well in school. When she got to second, it was like she came to a screeching halt. She began struggling with spelling, skipping words and lines when reading, and retaining math skills. Her teacher suggested she be evaluated by a developmental optometrist. I found out that her eyes were not tracking together, and she had problems with visual memory, among other things. We completed nine months of extensive visual therapy. I am a teacher and was totally amazed to learn how the visual system can impact so many areas of a child’s life. Children with vision problems are misdiagnosed with ADHD and other disorders. If you are an elementary teacher, I strongly suggest you attend any professional development workshops that address childhood vision problems. The clinic we worked with in Joplin, MO conducted free monthly workshops for parents and teachers.