While you’re busy with enrollment forms, back-to-school shopping, schedules and immunizations for your child, August is busy being Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, making it a good time to remind you to get your child’s eyes checked before that first school bell rings.

Most children have healthy eyes, but one in four, or 25% of school-aged children either have vision problems or suffer from some degree of visual impairment. What’s more concerning is that The American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that 80% of preschoolers don’t receive a needed vision screening.

Because they’re young, your children may not have much history with their vision, so what they may perceive as “normal” vision might be something that needs to be addressed, and an eye exam is the best way to find out.

Before you know it, there’ll be homework, school projects, group activities, after-school club meetings and team sports to get them to and from.

So don’t wait for the first bell to ring, have your children’s vision checked now, so they can start the school year off with a clear slate and clear vision.