Eyesight can be a subjective experience, especially for kids. Often, it’s only as kids grow older that they begin to understand what “normal” vision involves and when their vision is falling short.
That means that many vision problems go undetected in those earlier years, leaving kids struggling in school, social settings, and other areas of their lives.
While some eye conditions are obvious, others are subtle and easy for parents to miss. In this post, our team at ABC Children's Eye Specialists helps you learn how to spot four common childhood vision problems, so you can seek treatment as early as possible.
When we see, our eyes collect visual data that’s sent to the brain via the optic nerve. The brain processes that data and organizes it into visual images. Good vision depends on both eyes gathering information together.
Amblyopia happens when one eye is better at this process — and therefore stronger — than the other eye. As a result, the connection between the stronger eye and the brain becomes dominant, leaving the other eye to slowly grow weaker over time.
Without prompt treatment, this weaker eye experiences reduced vision that requires special care to correct.
If your child has amblyopia, you may notice they frequently close or cover one eye or tilt their head when reading or performing other tasks requiring sharp focus, or they may struggle with depth perception during activities requiring coordination, like catching a ball.
Kids with amblyopia often seem clumsy or have trouble reading.
Strabismus happens when the eyes don’t “line up” properly and point in different directions.
One eye may turn inward, outward, upward, or downward while the other focuses straight ahead. This misalignment can be constant or occasional. Without treatment, it may eventually lead to amblyopia or other vision issues.
Clues to look for
You might think that if one of your child’s eyes is pointing in an unusual direction, it’d be easy to spot. But strabismus can be surprisingly subtle. In most kids, the difference between eyes doesn’t happen all the time.
Instead, you might notice a difference when your child is tired or when they’re focusing on close-up work, like reading or homework. Squinting in bright light, complaining of double vision, or closing one eye to concentrate are potential signs to watch out for.
Nearsightedness is a very common vision problem for kids. It happens when the eyes are able to see close-up objects clearly, but far-off objects appear blurry.
Myopia tends to progress over time, impacting your child’s vision and their ability to succeed in school and in social situations.
Clues to look for
If your child has myopia, they might sit very close to the TV, hold books or tablets close to their face, or squint to see far-off objects, including the blackboard or whiteboard at school. Frequent headaches are another clue that your child might have myopia.
Astigmatism happens when the eye’s cornea or lens is more elongated than round, causing light to focus unevenly on the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye. When light is scattered, vision is blurry at all distances.
While astigmatism can occur on its own, it often happens alongside myopia.
Clues to look for
Because vision can be consistently blurry regardless of distance, your child may not realize there’s anything amiss. From your perspective, you might notice your child rubs their eyes frequently, experiences headaches on a regular basis, or takes great pains to avoid close-up work. Your child may also quickly lose interest in any activity requiring long periods of intense focus.
Your child’s vision plays a critical role in learning, coordination, and confidence at school and in social situations. An undetected vision problem can lead to poor school performance, problems socializing, and low confidence and self-esteem.
If you suspect your child may be struggling with a vision issue or if you simply want peace of mind, scheduling a vision evaluation is the first step toward better vision health for your child.
To schedule your child’s exam, call our offices to request an appointment with our team at ABC Children’s Eye Specialists in Phoenix, Avondale, Sun City, Gilbert, and Mesa, Arizona, today.
