Vision problems at any age can be concerning, but, when vision problems occur in children it can be even more frightening. Depending on the age of the child, the child may not be able to communicate how they are feeling or issues with their vision. If your child is experiencing vision changes, here are the signs to look out for.
Vision Impairment in Infants and Toddlers
A baby or toddler can’t necessarily vocalize their needs and wants. If your baby or toddler can’t follow an object such as a toy or ball with their eyes across their field of vision, it’s beneficial to get their eyes checked. Some babies do have misaligned eyes called strabismus as they are still developing, however, after the age of four months old, if the eyes start to cross inward or outward, this is abnormal and should be checked.
Vision Impairment in Preschool-Aged Children
Preschool-aged children are pretty well developed and vocalize a lot more. Your preschool-aged child may be able to vocalize they can’t see an item such as objects far away. It’s important not to necessarily count on the child verbalizing vision changes. Some signs a preschooler has vision impairment are misaligned eyes, a lazy eye (eyelid dropping) and sitting too close to the television, or holding a tablet too close to the face.
Vision Impairment Past Preschool Age
As children get older, they can vocalize changes in vision. Some children will vocalize they can’t see objects. Other signs of vision impairment include misaligned eyes, eye pain, itchiness, discomfort, eyes fluttering, poor hand-eye coordination, white or grey color in the pupil, pain or crust in the eye, or watery eyes. Problems in school or complaints of headaches can also be a sign that your child has trouble seeing the board or that their eyes are working too hard to compensate for near or farsightedness. Take your child to see their doctor or to an eye care center to have their vision checked if you notice these concerning symptoms
Eye Care Center
An eye care center that specializes in pediatric vision care can assess your child. Underlying eye conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, or other medical conditions need to be taken care of by professionals and cannot be left to home remedies or a simple pair of glasses. An eye care center will provide the necessary treatment options for your child.
Vision changes can have a negative effect on your child's life. Vision changes can lead to poor school performance and dangerous slip, fall, and walking into furniture if the child is not able to see properly. An eye care center will help provide the necessary guidance to help improve your child’s vision.
