Have you ever asked yourself, “Does My Child Need Glasses?” If so, you are not alone. As a parent, it is often difficult to identify Vision Problems in Young Children. More often than not, a child will not even notice they have a problem. Because of this, it is important to pay attention to subtle indicators that your child may need glasses. According to the Optometrists Network, these indicators include:
- Poor grades
- Not wanting to go to school
- Difficulty reading and writing
- Struggling to complete work in the allotted time
- Eye pain
- Frequent headaches
- Complaining of blurry vision
If you notice your child displaying any of the above indicators, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor – ophthalmologist or optometrist – as soon as possible. Your son or daughter probably needs glasses.
“For many children, an evaluation by a pediatrician may be enough,” said Michael Repka, MD, professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “But if a child has a family history of vision or eye problems or has symptoms, he or she may need to have an official eye exam.”
Even if you do not notice any of the above indicators of vision problems, it is important to have your child’s vision checked at 6 months, 3 years, before first grade, and periodically (preferably annually) after that.
Common Vision Problems in Young Children
- Nearsightedness: Myopia, better known as nearsightedness, is a refractive error that occurs when light entering the eye is focused incorrectly. This happens because the physical length of the eye is greater than the optical length. The result: distant objects appearing blurry.
- Farsightedness: Hyperopia, better known to the general public as farsightedness, is when an individual can see distant objects clearly but has great difficulty seeing objects up close.
- Astigmatism: Astigmatism is a common type of refractive error of the eye, which causes blurred or blurry vision.
- Amblyopia: Often referred to as lazy eye, Amblyopia results in poor vision despite the eye appearing normal.
- Strabismus: Often referred to as cross-eyed, Strabismus causes the eyes to wander.
If you have any questions about Vision Problems in Young Children, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrists Dr. Nathan Frank and Dr. Corinne Casey, and the eye care specialists at the Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or visiting AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!
For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.
Source:
Children’s Vision and Eye Care Basics WebMD