Signs Of Eye Problems In Children
It is important as a parent you recognize some early warning signs of vision problems in children. Young children often cannot verbalize what is going on with their eyesight. Here are some warning signs your child may have a vision problem:
- Frequent straining to see things
- Poor eye/hand coordination
- Excessive blinking or Frequent eye rubbing
- Lazy eye
- Problems in school
- Difficulty keeping eye contact
- Squinting, tilting or turning the head or closing one eye when looking at things
- Tearing
- Frequent headaches
- Holding books close to the face when reading or sitting close to the TV
- Avoiding close work (sometimes by claiming they dislike it)
- Losing place when reading or using a finger as a guide
- Difficulty seeing distant objects, like a blackboard
Any or all of these signs may help alert you to possible vision problems early on. You can then work with your healthcare provider to help your child find a suitable pair of lenses.
In addition to nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, common vision problems of schoolchildren include:
Your child’s eyes should be examined early for vision problems such as “lazy eye” (amblyopia), in which one eye usually is weaker than the other. With amblyopia, eye patching often is used to help strengthen the weaker eye.
- Lazy eye (amblyopia): Your eye doctor will want to rule out amblyopia, or “lazy eye,” which is decreased vision in one or both eyes without detectable anatomic damage. Unfortunately, amblyopia is not always correctable with eyeglasses or contact lenses and may require eye patching to strengthen the weaker eye.
- Misalignment of eyes (strabismus): Crossed or misaligned eyes (strabismus) can have different causes, such as problems with muscle control in the affected eye or eyes. Strabismus is a common cause of amblyopia and should be treated early in childhood so vision and eye teaming skills can develop normally.
- Inability to maintain eye alignment when viewing near objects (convergence insufficiency): Eye doctors will assess the ability of eyes to pull inward (convergence) and maintain proper alignment for comfortable reading.
- Focusing ability, depth perception and color vision: The eye doctor also may test your child’s focusing (accommodation) ability. Depth perception or ability to gauge distances between objects also may be examined, and color blind tests may be used to assess your child’s color vision. [Read more about color vision and how the eye refracts light.]
- Anterior eye and eyelid health: Your eye doctor will closely examine your child’s eyelids to look for abnormal or infected eyelash follicles, bumps (papillae), discharge and swelling (edema). The doctor also will examine the cornea, iris, and lens to look for cloudiness (opacities) or other irregularities.
- “Cloudy” eyes
If the surface of the eye, which is normally clear, instead appears cloudy, there may be a cataract or other problem.
- Ptosis
This condition involves a drooping upper eyelid that covers the eye either somewhat or entirely, and so blocks vision. - Learning disabilities and vision
Learning disabilities include disorders in understanding or using spoken or written language or symbols.
These disabilities result from the brain’s misinterpretation of images received and relayed by the eyes, rather than from structural or functional eye problems. That’s why learning disabilities are not treatable by eye exercises or vision therapy. Children with learning disabilities do not have more visual problems than those who do not have learning disabilities.
The child may experience problems with reading (dyslexia), writing, listening, speaking, concentration, or mathematical calculations.
The evaluation for a learning disability should include a complete eye examination by an Eye M.D. (ophthalmologist). Treatment for learning disabilities is best provided through an educational approach, using tutors and resource teachers. Whether or not learning disabilities are suspected, all students need vision screening to check for visual acuity and general eye health.
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