Artisan Pediatric Eyecare

PARENTS DID YOU KNOW?
(1) Kids generally aren't aware their vision has changed, or that they have poor vision. They adjust to whatever eyesight they have and learn to adapt.

(2) Even if a child's vision has been normal, it can change. We see vision changes and changes in prescriptions sometimes within six months. As children grow and change, so do their eyes.

(3) Up to a point, kids can adapt and get by in school with poor vision. As kids move up in grade level print size grows smaller, classroom assignments lengthen, and more time is devoted to reading and reading comprehension. School becomes more difficult.

(4) Kids with vision problems struggle to keep up with the class, perform below grade level, and often fail to achieve their full potential.

So, Idaho parents we have to ask....Have all of your children had comprehensive pediatric eye exams in the last 12 months? First eye exams are at 9 months of age. Is it time to get on track with vision care?

Give our office a call to schedule. We are in-network with most insurances, including Idaho Medicaid, and are accepting new patients.

If this school year fell short of expectations, for either yourself as a parent or your student, now is the perfect time to get to the root of the problem. Why now? Because it gives you all summer to address the problem and prepare for next school year.

Vision problems are a common culprit when it comes school performance. A great first step is a comprehensive learning-related eye exam with a pediatric eye doctor. Pediatric eye doctors test for critical vision skills required for learning. Some of those skills include eye tracking, convergence, eye teaming, and more. Not all eye doctors perform all of the tests necessary to determine if there is an underlying vision problem – but residency-trained pediatric eye doctors do!

25% (1 in 4) of all students have difficulty reading and learning due to an undetected vision problem. There are numerous observable symptoms of a vision problem. Here are just a handful:
[ ] Performs below grade level
[ ] Poor handwriting
[ ] Poor reading speed
[ ] Poor reading comprehension
[ ] Slow, halting reading pattern when reading out loud
[ ] Uses finger or guide when reading
[ ] Re-reads words or sentences
[ ] Reverses words or letters
[ ] Omits or transposes words when reading (especially small or similar words)

The residency-trained pediatric eye doctors at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare specialize in learning-related eye exams. They are accepting new patients, and in-network with most insurances. Call today to schedule an appointment.

Are kids' eye exams really that different from adult eye exams?

As a residency-trained pediatric optometrist I get this question almost daily from parents. And as parents watch me during their child's eye examination the most common reaction is “Wow! I had no idea. This exam is so different from even my child's last eye exam”.

I'm sure you're wondering why eye exams for kids differ from eye doctor to eye doctor. The answer is simple. Most eye doctors are not pediatric eye doctors, and lack formal training in the sub-specialty field of pediatric vision care.

A big take away I share with parents is that the visual demands of a child are different from those for adults. One of many reasons a child's eye exam should be different from an eye exam for an adult. Children learn through tactile and motor activities for the first few years of life. Those activities rely heavily on visual perception and visual motor integration. Vision and visual skills continue to change and develop throughout childhood, a big reason yearly comprehensive eye exams should be on every parent's list.

I am always excited to share with parents the link between vision, learning, and academic performance. A pediatric eye examination is so much more than determining the need for glasses or contact lenses. At the core of a pediatric eye examination is the importance of evaluating a child's ability to meet the demands of learning and the classroom. I believe every child deserves to achieve their full potential, and a yearly comprehensive eye exam with a pediatric eye doctor is a great place to start.

If you'd like to make an appointment for your child please give our office a call. We are accepting new patients, in-network with most insurances, and no referral is needed. I'm Dr. Jill Kronberg, and I look forward to meeting you!

Have you heard what parents have to say about us? If you are looking for an eye doctor for your kids, give us call. Our doctors are in-network with most insurances and accepting new patients.

Amblyopia

Amblyopia can result from any condition that prevents one of the eyes from focusing (seeing as clearly) as the other eye. Conditions such as:
Misalignment of the eyes (strabismus)
Esotropia
Exotropia
Cataracts
One eye is more nearsighted, farsighted or has more astigmatism
than the other eye
Amblyopia is a condition that is not “outgrown”.

Amblyopia is often referred to as lazy eye, and is the leading cause of vision loss among children. Individuals with amblyopia have decreased depth perception, and have difficulty seeing 3-D images. Parents often times say that their child is clumsy, has a tendency to stumble or bump into objects.

The pediatric optometrists here at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare are residency-trained in pediatric vision care, including amblyopia, providing state-of-the-art eyecare for children of all ages. They are accepting new patients and in-network with most insurances. Call to schedule an appointment for your children.

What is Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)?

Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) is a common cause of visual impairment in the pediatric population. Broadly speaking, CVI is a term used for brain-based visual disorders that affect visual-perceptual processing in the absence of a major ocular disease.

Individuals with CVI often appear to have normal or near-normal visual acuity. However, many have visual-perceptual deficits, a hallmark symptom of CVI. Individuals with CVI have difficulties with visual attention, visual recognition such as identifying abstract, black and white, or cartoon representations of real-life objects. The more an image departs from realistic form, color, or shape – the longer it will take to identify the object, or to correctly identify the object at all. Children with CVI have to work harder than their peers in school. Often falling behind on classroom assignments, taking longer to complete homework than expected, or struggling to complete timed activities.

Unfortunately, neither visual-perceptual processing or visual-perceptual deficits are typically evaluated during a routine annual eye exam or a standard evaluation by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Currently there is no established universal diagnostic criteria, many children with CVI fall through the cracks.

If you suspect your child has symptoms of visual-perceptual processing or visual-perceptual deficits, it is time to schedule an appointment at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare. Our doctors provide evaluation and assessment of pediatric vision conditions beyond visual acuity, providing complete comprehensive pediatric vision care.

When can my child start wearing contact lenses?
Contact lenses are a great option, especially for active children or when playing sports.

Parents often ask if there is an age range when considering contact lenses for their child. Generally speaking that is 10 to 12 years of age, but age alone isn't the only consideration. Here at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare we have children much younger than 10 who successfully wear contacts. However, we also have 12 year olds that we recommend wait for a year or two.

Important considerations include the child's maturity, cleanliness habits, and personal hygiene. It's important a child demonstrate that they are responsible enough to take care of their contact lenses. If not, serious eye infections may develop.

If you're thinking contact lenses for your child, we recommend having a conversation with your child about the responsibilities that come with contact lenses. Contact lenses, like many other things, require proper care:
> Washing and drying hands completely before touching the contact lenses.
> Removing the contact lenses when swimming, bathing, or showering.
> Taking contact lenses out before sleeping.
> Following the contact lens manufacturer's replacement schedule.

If your child is ready for contact lenses, give us a call. Our team has the experience and expertise to ensure your child is comfortable and confident with contact lenses.

My child an eye exam two years ago. Do they really need another one?

Contrary to popular belief, the eyes continue to grow throughout childhood and do not reach full adult size until after puberty. This means that a child’s vision can easily change over the course of a single year.

More significantly, many serious eye conditions such as progressive myopia, strabismus, or amblyopia, may not have recognizable symptoms in their early stages. A comprehensive medical eye examination can catch these conditions so treatment can begin early, and help prevent life-long vision problems.

It is important to remember that a vision screening is not a substitute for a comprehensive medical eye examination. If your child hasn't had a comprehensive medical eye examination in the past year, it's time to schedule an appointment.

Our eye doctors here at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare are pediatric vision specialists. Accepting new patients. In-network with most insurances.

Q: My child passed a vision screening by the nurse at school. Does he still need an eye exam?

A:Yes. Many schools implement a basic vision screening test to assess whether the child sees clearly at a distance, however these tests are limited in scope.

They do not assess functional vision such as the child’s ability to focus, track words on a page or the eyes’ ability to work in tandem. They also do not look at the health of the eye itself.

A comprehensive eye exam with a pediatric eye doctor is essential to evaluate how healthy the eyes are, visual clarity, and binocular vision skills. In fact, studies show that up to 43% of children with vision problems can pass a vision screening test!

A comprehensive eye exam with one of the pediatric eye doctors at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare will assess all of these functions as well as color vision, depth perception, and eye coordination. Our doctors are accepting new patients, no referral needed, and in-network with most insurances.

Artisan Pediatric Eyecare Our residency trained pediatric optometrists offer world-class pediatric vision care and neuro-optom

What's the difference between a school vision screening and a comprehensive pediatric eye health exam?

Vision screenings at school or at the pediatrician's office are basic vision screenings to assess if a child can see clearly in the distance. However, these tests are limited in scope. They do not assess vision skills needed for the classroom, such as:

The ability to focus
If your child’s eyes can track words on a page
The eyes’ ability to work in tandem.
Color vision
Binocular vision skills
Depth perception

Eye Health Studies show that up to 43% of children with vision problems can pass a vision screening.

If your child has not had a comprehensive eye health exam with a pediatric vision specialist in the past 12 months it's time to call Artisan Pediatric Eyecare. Our eye doctors have advanced training in the ocular and vision conditions that affect the pediatric population.

Call (208)900-3336 today and schedule an appointment for your child. Our doctors are accepting new patients and are in-network with most insurances. No referral needed.

Artisan Pediatric Eyecare Our residency trained pediatric optometrists offer world-class pediatric vision care and neuro-optom

At Artisan Pediatric Eyecare we understand pediatric eye care is incredibly important. Symptoms of vision problems in children can sometimes be obvious and other times much more subtle.

We see it everyday. Young patients not seeing as well as they should, and parents unaware there's a problem. It's easy to understand why. There's no way for a parent to know how their child sees. It's also important to keep in mind that children assume the way they see is the way everyone sees. That's why regular eye exams with a residency-trained pediatric eye doctor, like our eye doctors at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare, are so important.

Experts agree a majority of learning is visual. If a child has trouble seeing they may be failing to achieve developmental milestones or falling behind on age-appropriate learning.

Regular eye health exams with the residency-trained pediatric eye doctors at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare can help protect your child's vision as they grow. Our eye doctors are in-network with most insurances and accepting new patients. No referral needed. Call to schedule an appointment for your child.

Artisan Pediatric Eyecare Our residency trained pediatric optometrists offer world-class pediatric vision care and neuro-optom

Health Barriers to Learning (HBLs) are health conditions that when untreated or unmanaged can interfere with a child’s ability to learn and succeed in school. These HBLs include vision and hearing deficits, uncontrolled asthma, mental and behavioral problems, dental pain, persistent hunger, and the effects of lead exposure.

Though estimates of prevalence vary depending on population and specific vision issues, studies show that 22%-30% of children fail vision screenings. Vision screenings are typically performed by pediatricians or school nurses. And approximately 25% of school-age children have untreated or unmanaged vision problems that affect learning.

80% of learning occurs through visual tasks such as reading, writing and using computers. Studies conclude that uncorrected vision problems impede a child’s ability to read and that correction of the problem improved performance.
Children assume that everyone sees the way they do, and often do not know to tell parents that they are having trouble seeing. There have been many parents over the years who have been surprised to learn that their child describes letters on a page as moving or floating, words as having “shadows”, or can see only the “big E” on the eyechart.

An annual comprehensive eye health exam with a pediatric eye doctor is only way to know for sure how your child sees. Lack of regular, annual eye care means children continue to be at risk for Health Barriers to Learning (HBLs) that can undermine their success in school.

Schedule an appointment for your child with one of the residency-trained pediatric eye doctors here at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare. Our doctors are in-network with most insurances and accepting new patients.

Now that the school year has come to a close, it's the perfect time to reflect on the past academic year. Is school harder than it should be? Does your child struggle to stay at grade level? If so, an underlying vision problem may be a contributing factor.

Here are a few surprising signs your child may have an undiagnosed vision problem:
Difficulties keeping up with classroom or homework assignments
Test scores lower than expected
Inappropriate behavior in the classroom or when doing homework
Working too hard for the grades received
An IEP or 504 in place

As children grow, their eyes change quickly. Even children who perform well in school may have vision problems that affect their ability to reach their full potential.

Now is a great time to schedule your child's yearly comprehensive eye exam. At Artisan Pediatric Eyecare you'll have peace of mind as you head into the next school year. Our eye doctors are residency-trained in pediatric vision care and specialists in eye care for kids.

Artisan Pediatric Eyecare Our residency trained pediatric optometrists offer world-class pediatric vision care and neuro-optom

Many parents assume a school vision screening, or a vision screening at the pediatrician's office is an eye exam. Not true. Pediatric eye doctors, like those at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare, provide comprehensive eye exams specific to pediatric vision conditions. This includes amblyopia, strabismus, eye tracking and eye teaming skills, depth perception, visual processing, and more.

80% of what a child learns is visual. Why risk reaching developmental milestones or achieving academic potential? Schedule an eye exam for your child with one of our residency-trained pediatric eye doctors and know for sure.

Our doctors are in-network with most insurances and accepting new patients. No referral needed. Call (208) 900-3336 to schedule.

Artisan Pediatric Eyecare Our residency trained pediatric optometrists offer world-class pediatric vision care and neuro-optom

Athletes at all levels of play spend hours training, conditioning, and practicing – but what about visual performance?

Each sport has specific visual demands that impact performance. In this post we will look at the visual skills specific to:
Archery
Billiards
Golf
Shooting

Sports vision is much more than seeing clearly, or being told you have 20/20 vision. Many interrelated vision skills affect accuracy and how well you play, such as:
Color vision
Contrast sensitivity
Distance stereopsis
Static visual acuity
Vernier acuity

The first step to improving performance is a Sports Vision Assessment, with a residency-trained sports vision specialist -- like Dr. Ryan C. Johnson here at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare. Dr. Johnson offers both youth sports vision assessments and adult sports vision assessments for athletes at all levels of play.

There are many advantages for your child to see a residency-trained pediatric eye doctor for their vision care. One advantage is the specialized training required to accurately prescribe for children – when to prescribe, what to prescribe, and how to get children who need glasses to wear them.

General eye doctors are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to prescribing for children. Subjective responses from the child can be unreliable or unusable. Some children really want glasses and will say whatever they feel is necessary to get them. Other children are shy or scared and don't always share necessary information with the doctor.

From a parent's perspective they may prefer their child have a weaker prescription, or that their child not wear glasses at all. It is a myth that wearing glasses makes the eyes weaker. A 2002 study proved that under correcting (prescribing a weaker prescription) caused the child's eyes to worsen faster than if they were prescribed their full strength prescription. For children who are farsighted, or have difficulty seeing up close (reading, drawing, etc) and need extra focusing power to see clearly, wearing a prescription that is not strong enough or not wearing glasses at all can result in eye turns.

Don't leave your child's vision to chance. The residency-trained pediatric eye doctors at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare are accepting new patients and in-network with most insurances. Call to schedule an appointment for your child, no referral needed.

Artisan Pediatric Eyecare Our residency trained pediatric optometrists offer world-class pediatric vision care and neuro-optom

Expert vision care with residency-trained pediatric optometrists. One of the reasons Artisan Pediatric Eyecare is the right choice for children. Our doctors are in-network with most insurances, including Idaho Medicaid.

Artisan Pediatric Eyecare Our residency trained pediatric optometrists offer world-class pediatric vision care and neuro-optom

Our eye doctors are residency-trained in pediatric vision care, and specialists in vision conditions that affect children. For an appointment call (208) 900-3336.
Accepting New Patients
No Referral Needed
In-Network with Most Insurances, including Idaho Medicaid

Looking for a great eye doctor for your kids? Taking care of kids' eyes is what we do! From pink eye to comprehensive eye health exams to 2nd opinions, our eye doctors have the experience parents can count on. Accepting new patients. No referral needed. In-network with most insurances, including Idaho Medicaid.

Artisan Pediatric Eyecare Our residency trained pediatric optometrists offer world-class pediatric vision care and neuro-optom

Why is Visual Form Discrimination Important?

Visual Form Discrimination is one of several visual perceptual skills required for normal development and learning.
> Visual perception refers to the way in which the brain interprets and processes visual information that is taken in by the eyes.
> Visual Form Discrimination is the ability to identify similarities and differences in size, shape, pattern, form, position and color – to notice detail differences.

Visual Form Discrimination is not tested using an eye chart, and the ability to read the 20/20 row does not mean an individual is free of visual perception deficits. Visual perception deficits can affect academic performance in areas such as reading and math as well as sports performance and other day to day activities.

If you have concerns about your child's visual skills, the first step is a thorough vision examination with a pediatric eye doctor. The eye doctors at Artisan Pediatric Eyecare are residency trained in pediatric vision and have the expertise and experience you're looking for.

Call to schedule an appointment for your child. Artisan Pediatric Eyecare is accepting new patients and our eye doctors are in-network with most insurances, including Idaho Medicaid.

Artisan Pediatric Eyecare Our residency trained pediatric optometrists offer world-class pediatric vision care and neuro-optom

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

Pink eye can be more than meets the eye. It is important for children with pink eye to see an eye doctor. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent the condition from worsening. There are three types of conjunctivitis: allergic, infectious and chemical.

Allergic Conjunctivitis
Allergic conjunctivitis: occurs more commonly among those who have seasonal allergies.
Giant papillary conjunctivitis: caused by the chronic presence of a foreign body in the eye.

Infectious Conjunctivitis
Bacterial conjunctivitis: most often caused by staphylococcal or streptococcal bacteria.
Viral conjunctivitis: most commonly caused by contagious viruses associated with the common cold.
Ophthalmia neonatorum: a severe form of bacterial conjunctivitis that occurs in newborn babies.

Chemical Conjunctivitis
Chemical conjunctivitis: caused by irritants such as air pollution, chlorine in swimming pools, and exposure to noxious chemicals.

Our pediatric eye doctors are accepting new patients, and in-network with most insurances.