When your child wakes up with a painful red eye or suddenly has trouble seeing the writing at the front of the classroom, it’s natural to worry. Fortunately for Alberta’s parents, help is more accessible than you might think.
Many parents are not aware that urgent eye care visits to an optometrist are covered by Alberta Health. This means that if your child has an eye infection, injury, or other unexpected vision problem, your local optometrist can provide the care they need without added stress or unexpected costs.
What does Alberta Health cover?
Children under the age of 19 are covered for one comprehensive eye exam per year. In addition, all Alberta citizens have coverage for optometrist appointments for urgent and medically necessary eye care concerns. These can range from eye infections and injuries to sudden changes in vision, styes, dry eye, and even monitoring for conditions such as diabetes, glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal diseases.
Why choose an optometrist for urgent care?
When it comes to eye-related concerns, seeing an optometrist often makes the most sense. Optometrists undergo extensive training (including a four-year bachelor's degree followed by four years of specialized education in vision and eye health) to earn their Doctor of Optometry degree. This means they are experts in diagnosing and treating eye conditions, with the tools and knowledge to provide the correct treatment quickly.
Most optometrists leave room in their daily schedules for urgent appointments. Dr. Patrick Wu, a Calgary-based optometrist, urges parents to take advantage of this resource. “If your child has an unexpected eye concern, the best option is to call the optometrist office and ask if they can fit you in. An urgent care visit will likely be quick. If it’s urgent, contagious, or potentially vision-threatening, you won’t want to wait.”
By seeing an optometrist, you can avoid long waits at the emergency room or walk-in clinic and receive specialized care tailored to your child’s eye health. Your optometrist will assess the issue, diagnose the problem, and prescribe any necessary medication. If a referral is required for specialized care, your optometrist can provide it on the spot.
Recognize common eye issues in children
For kids, the most common urgent eye issues include pink eye, red eye, allergies, styes, and minor injuries from school or sports. These conditions can cause discomfort and may worsen without proper treatment. In some cases, children may experience sudden changes in vision, such as floaters or loss of vision.
Dr. Wu stresses the importance of addressing these concerns promptly. “If you can treat it faster, hopefully you can prevent spreading it to someone else or risking long-term damage to their vision.”
Partners in your child’s eye health
In Alberta, optometrists provide much more than vision screenings. They are trusted healthcare providers who partner with a network of medical specialists and providers to care for your child’s overall health.
As a parent of young children himself, Dr. Wu wants all Alberta’s parents to know what help is available. He recommends building a relationship with your local optometrist so that if your child needs help, you know where to take them. “As a parent,” he says, “it’s so valuable to know where you can receive the best care for your child. I wish every parent knew that the access is out there and that we are here to help.” He reassures parents, “If something comes up, we’ll do our best to help.”
For more information about your family vision and eye health care, visit optometrists.ab.ca.
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