10 Signs of Eye Sight Problems in a Child

What are the 10 Signs of EyeSight Problems In a Child?

Do you suspect an eyesight problem in your child? Does your child often blink or rub his/her eyes? Your child may have problems with their eye health.

Here are some common behaviors and complaints in children that point to possible eye problems.

The development of the sense of vision, in humans, begins at birth and continues until the age of 8-10 years.

Any problem that occurs and affects the development of the vision can cause irreversible vision issues.

Many diseases such as refractive errors, strabismus, congenital cataracts, glaucoma, eye trauma and eye tumors can cause permanent vision loss in children.

Let’s examine some of the symptoms one by one, and if one of the symptoms is familiar to you, it may mean you need support from the nearest eye care facility.

10 Signs of Eyesight Problems In a Child

1. Frequent Blinking

What families often interpret as a ‘tic/reflex’ that will pass on its own can have a completely different cause.

A child who blinks frequently and heavily may be suffering from an eye disease.

2. Sensitivity to Light

While a child with eye discomfort and dry eye due to allergies is very uncomfortable in a brightly lit environment, excessive watering may occur in his eyes.

Because of his/her sensitivity to light, he/she can squint eyes. This sensitivity can be indicative of underlying eye health issues.

3. Turning Head in one Direction

Pay attention if your child has a constant need to turn his/her head in one direction at school while looking at the board, while reading, or watching television.

Because the need to constantly turn his/her head in one direction is caused by the need to compensate for eye movement limitation or the tendency to look out of the eye that he/she sees better from.

4. Headaches

Headaches can have many causes. However, one cause can be eye problems. For example, at school, the child develops a headache as a result of constant strain to see the blackboard and focus on writing.

5. Keeping One Eye Closed

In outwardly latent strabismus, especially on sunny days, the child has to close one eye to see.

Hand-eye coordination may decrease in children whose depth sensation development is affected due to strabismus. If strabismus has just started, an imbalance in the child’s gait can be seen.

6. Serious Eye Strain

The child needing glasses squints and strains their eyes to clarify the image. Although he/she can do this for a while, the child gets tired and cannot continue for long. This situation can be remedied by getting the child glasses.

7. Touching Eyes Often

Dust, pollen, and other irritants flying in crowded environments negatively affect the eyes.

But suppose your child has frequent contact with her/his eyes, even when not exposed to irritants or long after exposure. In that case, the reason should be investigated with an eye examination.

8. Squinting or Rubbing Eyes

To reduce the itching caused by allergies or clarify the image because of the inability to see clearly, the child needs to squint and rub his/her eyes.

For this reason, teachers must watch children closely and inform the family when necessary.

9. Finger Tracking While Reading

Looking too closely while reading or writing or constantly finger-tracking is among the symptoms that indicate a possible eye problem.

In children with mild inward orientation (convergence insufficiency), when they look closer, sometimes outward deflection occurs. This means they cannot follow the line or word they have read.

Difficulty in tasks that require hand-eye coordination, such as throwing a ball, tying shoes or button-fastening while playing games, may also be caused by a possible eye problem.

10. Lack of Interest in Hobbies

Children who need glasses try to focus by using their forehead and intraocular muscles to clarify the image.

This can cause the child tremendous strain; therefore, after a while, the child’s interest and willingness to partake in activities decreases and this causes him/her to fail.

See Also:

How To Get Rid Of Red Eyes Without Eye Drops

Myths about laser eye surgery