Primitive Reflexes and Vision

What are Primitive Reflexes?

Primitive reflexes are involuntary motor movements that aid in the development of certain skills in infants, such as head control, motor skills, and sensory integration. As a baby grows and develops, these reflexes begin to integrate or ‘disappear’ as the child’s movements become more controlled.

“Movement is crucial for the infant’s brain to integrate the primitive reflexes. Vision and movement go hand-in-hand in the integration of primitive reflexes allowing the infant to move through their world as they develop through the early childhood stages of life. From gross motor to fine motor to oculomotor movements, each stage of development is affected by the integration of primitive reflexes.”

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What causes Retained Primitive Reflexes?

There are a number of reasons reflexes may be retained/not fully integrated:

• Restricted body movement as an infant - spending extended time in carriers or jumpers

• Stress on mother and/or baby during pregnancy or delivery

• Lack of movement in utero

• Trauma, injury, illness

• Lack of tummy time

• Delayed or skipped creeping and crawling

• Other developmental delays

How can I integrate mine or my child’s Primitive Reflexes?

We test for six different reflexes at our office which include: Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex; Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex; Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex; Spinal Galant; Palmar; and Moro. Each of these reflexes can have an effect on our visual system and motor skills if not fully integrated, which may cause difficulties with daily tasks such as reading and writing.

Retained Primitive Reflexes can be integrated through a variety of movement activities in our Vision Therapy program. For more information or to schedule an assessment, please contact Polaris Eye Care via phone or email.

Changes to OHIP covered eye examinations as of September 1, 2023

Dear patients of Polaris Eye Care,

As you may or may not know, there are some changes being made to OHIP eligibility for eye exams. Please find the information for your age group below.

Ages 19 and under:

OHIP coverage for eye examinations remains the same for this age group after September 1, 2023.

A patient aged 19 years and younger continues to be eligible for an OHIP-insured comprehensive eye examination once per year from an optometrist.

A patient aged 19 years and younger is also eligible for OHIP-insured “partial examinations” in between regular check-ups for a specific eye or vision problem.

OHIP does not cover second opinions. An examination by a different optometrist to confirm a diagnosis is not covered by OHIP.

Ages 20-64:

A patient aged 20 to 64 with one or more of the potentially sight-threatening conditions is eligible for an OHIP-insured comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist (maximum once every 12 months).

A referral made by a physician to an optometrist is only insured by OHIP if one of the 9 conditions exists.

In addition, a patient with any of the 9 conditions is eligible for a maximum of two OHIP-insured follow-up “partial examinations” annually for that condition.

Strabismus and Amblyopia will no longer be considered eligible conditions for OHIP-insured eye examinations.

Ages 65 and up:

A patient aged 65 and over with one or more of the potentially sight-threatening conditions is eligible for an OHIP-insured comprehensive eye examination once every 12 months from an optometrist.

A patient aged 65 and over without one of the 9 potentially sight-threatening conditions is eligible for an OHIP-insured comprehensive eye examination once every 18 months from an optometrist.

All patients aged 65 and over are eligible for a maximum of two OHIP-insured “partial examinations” in between regular check-ups if needed.

*Eligible conditions are as follows. Please visit www.OHIPupdates.ca for more information.

• Diabetes

• Glaucoma

• Cataracts

• Retinal disease

• Corneal disease

• Optic nerve pathway disease

• Uveitis

• Patients taking any of the following medications: Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, Ethambutol, Tamoxifen.

• Sudden onset of strabismus (eye turn/crossed-eyes) due to injury or disease

Please do not hesitate to contact our office should you have any questions or concerns regarding these changes.

Warm regards,

Polaris Eye Care

Update on Save Eye Care Discussions with the Ford Government

Dear valued patients,

We would like to provide you with an update on our discussions with the Ontario government. Unfortunately, since September 1, millions of Ontarians have lost access to primary eye care services because the Ontario government continues to neglect optometry services. Here is a brief update on what has been happening:

• The Ministry of Health did not communicate with optometrists from December 5, 2020 until August 5, 2021.

• An independent third party accounting firm (BDO) determined that the average operating cost (rent, staff, and equipment) to provide an eye exam in Ontario (without doctor compensation) was $75.51.

• The government has offered optometrists an increase of 8.48%. Such an increase would move the average payment for an eye exam from $44.65 to $48.43 requiring the average Ontario optometrist today to still pay more than $27 out of pocket to examine an OHIP-insured patient.

• Such an offer would ensure that the eye exams Ontarians receive will continue to be the worst funded in Canada. To reach the funding levels of the next lowest-funded province (Manitoba) in the country, a 65% increase in funding is needed. Our equipment, staffing, and rent costs are not lower than those in Manitoba.

•  The government also offered a one-time $39 million payment to help with underfunding of the last decade. This averages to just over $1 per exam for every optometry service performed over the last decade. It is focused on the past and does nothing to address Ontario’s broken and unsustainable eye care system. It is a complete waste of taxpayers’ dollars.

• While the government states that this offer is fair, the math is simple. Ontarians understand how this government is continuing to follow previous governments by neglecting eye care and exploiting the valuable services optometrists provide. It simply is not a sustainable solution.

• To this day, the government refuses to enter into negotiations where they will agree to either cover the complete overhead costs required to provide an exam or ensure Ontario optometrists will not remain the lowest funded in all of Canada. Ontario optometrists are waiting at the table for them to agree to either of those very basic and fair principles.

• Eye surgeons (ophthalmologists) across our province work together with optometrists to provide eye care for Ontarians. Like you, many have written letters to the Ontario government in support of fixing eye care. One Ontario ophthalmologist states:

“I believe that many in government do not fully understand the impact of the Optometric role and may minimize it’s standing in the delivery of health care to all Ontarians. The net effect of this misunderstanding, in my opinion, is exactly why Ontario Optometrists are underpaid and undervalued.”

Eye health has a direct impact on an individual’s quality of life, and we will continue to advocate for our patients whose lives are negatively impacted by the Ontario government’s lack of interest in this aspect of essential healthcare. 

Please call your local MPP’s office and let them know that you need the government to fix eye care. Tell them you support your local optometrist and you value the services that they provide. You can find their contact information here: https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

Over 300,000 Ontarians have sent letters and signed petitions to the Health Minister voicing their concerns. If you haven’t already, you can also visit SaveEyeCare.ca to sign our petition. Thank you again for your continued support!

 Kind regards,

Dr. Diana Yew, OD