When a child can’t see, they rarely say so

A child who needs glasses usually does not complain, because blurry vision is all they have ever known, and they assume everyone sees the world the same way.

That is one reason August is Children's Eye Health and Safety Month, declared each year by Prevent Blindness as families head back to school.

According to a Prevent Blindness analysis of national survey data, only about 53 percent of U.S. children had a recent vision screening. Many eye problems carry no obvious symptoms, yet caught early they are often correctable. Left untreated, the same problems can hold back learning and, in some cases, lead to permanent vision loss.