Le Mars Daily Sentinel: Local News: Children take a look at eye exams (01/28/10)

(Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) Hope Westhoff looks through special glasses at a chart that is used to measure depth perception in children by making certain items "pop out" to the child. Dr. Becky DeRuyter offered each child the opportunity to look through the glasses and experience a small part of a child's eye exam.

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A visit to the eye doctor was a fun and informative outing for children at Noah's Ark Preschool Wednesday.

Optometrist Dr. Becky DeRuyter of Advanced Eye Health located at Wal-Mart in Le Mars gave the students a tour of the exam rooms and explained what happens when someone gets an eye exam.

"We wanted to make it a fun visit and to let them know they shouldn't be afraid when they come to have an eye exam," DeRuyter explained.

(Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) Lauren Rolfes puts on special glasses to look at a chart which test depth perception for children by making items "pop out" from the chart.

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The tour started with assistant Jamie Huber reading the book, "Arthur's Eyes," a story about the main character, Arthur, getting glasses.

Noah's Ark teachers Helena McDougall and Nancy Ruhland demonstrated some of the exam techniques used, such as reading the letter chart and having a picture of the back of their eye taken.

DeRuyter recognized that some of the students had already had eye exams as they wore glasses.

(Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) Jamie Huber reads "Arthur's Eyes" to a group of children from Noah's Art Preschool during their visit to Advanced Eye Health located at Wal-Mart. Teacher Nancy Ruhland listens in. The children toured the office to learn what happens during an eye exam.

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For others, it was their first time in an optometrist's office and they looked intently at the equipment.

Assistant Jamie Huber explained one piece of equipment that checks the pressure on the eye with a puff of air, and another that takes a picture of the back of the eye, which is then displayed on a computer screen.

DeRuyter said children should have a full exam before they enter kindergarten> She expects the state to mandate that soon.

Some children have exams even earlier.

DeRutyer is one of the Le Mars optometrists who participate in the InfantSEE program, which offers eye exams free to children six to 12 months of age.

"That gives us an opportunity to check a child's eyes to see if they are working together," she explained.

According to the InfantSEEwebsite, an InfantSEE assessment between six and 12 months of age can determine if an infant is at risk for eye or vision disorders. Babies learn such visual skills as eye teaming -- the ability of the eyes to work together; eye focusing; and eye motility or tracking -- the ability of the eyes to smoothly follow moving objects and move from one object to another.

McDougall noted Noah Ark's Preschool students will have an eye screening in February.

"That's a good start for our students," McDougall said.