Are you worried that your child may have vision problems? The vision of your children is important and they may not always tell you that they are having trouble seeing things. Usually, children’s vision is tested at school every year, but you should also get them to a doctor regularly to make sure they are healthy and to check if they have a vision problem. If a problem is caught early on in your child’s development, you can get kids prescription eyeglasses so that they will not get behind in school and other areas of their life because they can’t see very well.
Watch for Signs and Symptoms
As mentioned before, your children may not always tell you when something is wrong with their vision. They may not think much about it or think that it might be normal. It is important that you watch for signs and symptoms of potential vision problems. Most problems can usually be fixed with glasses. Here are some of the signs and symptoms to watch for:
- Consistently rubbing their eyes, even when they are not tired.
- Having sensitivity to light.
- Issues focusing or following things with their eyes.
- Developing a white pupil.
- Eyes are often teary or red.
- Movements of their eyes are abnormal or misaligned once they are past 6 months old.
- Squinting often or having trouble seeing far away items.
- Problems with reading or sitting fairly close to the television.
What Should You Do if Your Child Shows Signs of Vision Problems?
One of the first things you should do if your child shows signs that they are having trouble with their vision is to call your pediatrician. They can set up an appointment with you and your child to give them an eye exam and determine whether you need to see an eye doctor. This step is important to do right away because if your child does have vision problems, it could affect how they do in school and other developments. Once the eye doctor has determined what the problem is, they can advise you on how to proceed with getting corrective eyeglasses for your child. An eye doctor will inform you on what strength the prescription lenses need to be to correct the vision.
Common Vision Problems
There are three types of refractive errors that are common when it comes to vision problems. The first type is nearsightedness. If your child is nearsighted, he or she may have trouble seeing objects that are in the distance. The prescription eyewear would help them see those things closer. The next type is farsightedness. This is the opposite of nearsightedness. Your child would have a hard time seeing items up close, so he or she would need eyeglasses that would make things seem farther back. If your child has astigmatism, he or she would have blurred vision caused by an abnormally curved eye surface. Eyeglasses would make the vision clear.
Make your children’s vision a priority and get them regular check-ups with a pediatrician or family doctor. Also, be aware of the signs and symptoms of poor vision and make sure your children get the care they need if they are having issues. Corrective eyewear can solve many vision problems if they are caught early on and can help them keep up with their peers when it comes to learning and development.
Article written by Jen Blair of the Sprightly Shopper, Follow her on twitter @sprightlyshopr.
Stuart Miles – FreeDigitalPhotos.Net