The Franklin optometrist wants to make sure children have the opportunity to see life clearly, so he has started Operation Bright Start. The program, based on a similar one in East Tennessee, offers free eye exams to infants. Batts' goal is to diagnose and correct ocular problems that could significantly affect a child's development if left untreated. Among the vision problems Batts aims to detect through Operation Bright Start are amblyopia, also known as lazy eyes, and strabismus, commonly referred to as crossed eyes.
Crossed eyes are usually easier to notice than lazy eyes.
You have to have an eye exam to catch amblyopia. The earlier vision problems like amblyopia and strabismus are identified, the easier they are to correct. Early in the school year, the Oak View Elementary first grader was having trouble writing on the lines. Mary Catherine couldn't see the lines on the writing paper at all. It was very obvious the knowledge was there.