How to Know If Your Child Has Eye Problems

Many eye disorders and diseases are unique to kids. Most of the common ones are alignment and focus problems. Diagnosing and treating these issues through a comprehensive eye exam is essential. It helps uncover issues that may be affecting your child's school performance, physical development, and overall health. Early detection of these issues ensures effective and timely treatment. It also results in optimal brain and eye development.

Some of the signs of pediatric eye problems include:

Covering One Eye or Tilting Head

Your child might tilt their head or cover one eye to increase visual clarity. This indicates that your little one might be having an eye misalignment or amblyopia. This is also known as lazy eye, a common eye disorder in kids.

Squinting

Squinting is a common sign of refractive errors in children. The eye disorder affects how well their eyes focus on images. Squinting may help your child temporarily enhance their clarity and focus on objects.

Holding Digital Devices Too Close to the Eyes

If you notice your child holds digital devices too close to their eyes or sits too close to the television, they could be suffering from poor vision. 

Also, lowering their heads when reading is a sign of an eye problem. Children with myopia enjoy clear vision at close range but suffer from poor vision at far distances. Bringing the object closer makes the image clearer.

Difficulty Concentrating at School

Schoolwork requires quick and accurate adaptation of visual focus. Most learning tasks entail constant switching from distant to near vision. It is useful when reading from the board, textbooks, and computers. For this reason, vision issues may manifest as a lack of concentration on schoolwork.

Eye Pain and Headaches

If your little one complains about headaches and eye pain at the end of the day, they might be experiencing eye problems. Headaches and eye pain indicate that your child is overexerting the eyes to enhance their focus on blurred vision.

Excessive Rubbing of the Eyes

If your child excessively rubs their eyes, it could be that their eyes are experiencing strain or fatigue. It could signify various eye conditions and problems such as allergic conjunctivitis.

Other Signs

If you notice your child manifesting any of the signs listed below, let your pediatric optometrist know:

• Grayish-white or white color in their pupils

• If your child reports itchiness, pain, or discomfort in their eyes

• The quick fluttering of their eyes up and down or from side to side

• Eyes that are constantly watery

• Crust or pus in either eye

• Oversensitivity to light

• Persistent redness in either eye

• Drooping eyelids

Most vision problems in children may not have noticeable signs at all. Therefore, it is crucial to have your little one's vision checked by a pediatric eye specialist. If your baby cannot read yet, these specialists have special tests to evaluate their vision. The surest way to know if your child has vision problems is by getting them regular comprehensive eye exams.

For more on your child's signs of eye problems, visit Primary Vision Care at our offices in Newark, Lancaster, Mount Vernon, Wilmington, or Waynesville, Ohio. You can call (740) 299-1155, (740) 654-9909, (740) 393-6010, (937) 382-4933, or (513) 897-2211 today to schedule an appointment.