Mild to severe vision problems can have a significant impact on how children grow and learn. Parents and other caretakers need to know the most common signs a child is having trouble seeing so they can get them to a doctor immediately if they need to.
Discover the most common symptoms of children's vision problems below.
Squinting or Closing One Eye
When a child has a vision problem, their eyes may be misaligned. This misalignment can cause double vision or make things look blurry. As a result, they squint or close one eye to reduce the amount of light that gets into the eye and eliminate double or blurry vision.
Squinting or closing one eye allows the child to use the other eye to focus on the image in front of them, making it easier for them to see.
Crossing or Turning One Eye
Crossing or turning one eye is a symptom of strabismus, an eye misalignment. Strabismus occurs when one eye turns in, out, up, or down. Therefore, the child's brain gets different images from each eye, which makes them have double or blurred vision. A lack of muscle control or a problem with the eye muscles can also cause strabismus.
Light Sensitivity
Light sensitivity, also called photophobia, can be caused by several things that make it hard for the eye to process light. For instance, refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can make children sensitive to light. These conditions happen when the eye doesn't focus light correctly on the retina, which causes glare and pain in bright sunlight.
A condition known as amblyopia or "lazy eye" is another common cause of light sensitivity in children. Amblyopia happens when the brain stops paying attention to what one eye sees, making it weaker and more sensitive to light. Some children may also have a more sensitive nervous system, which makes them more likely to be sensitive to light.
Light sensitivity can also be a symptom of more severe conditions such as migraines, uveitis (inflammation of the eye's middle layer), certain infections, or tumors.
Headaches
The eyes and the brain
collaborate to process visual information, and when something goes wrong with the eyes, it can cause strain and discomfort, leading to headaches. For
example, refractive errors can cause strain and discomfort in the eyes, leading to headaches.
Accommodative insufficiency, which makes it difficult for the eyes to focus at different distances, can also cause headaches in children. Children with this condition may have trouble focusing on things close to them and may need to move things closer to their faces to see them clearly, which can cause eye strain and headaches.
Rubbing Eyes Frequently
Frequently rubbing your eyes can indicate eye discomfort or irritation. Children with dry eyes, itchy eyes, or a foreign body sensation may rub their eyes. These symptoms can be caused by allergies, spending too much time in front of a screen, or not drinking enough water.
If your child rubs their eyes a lot, it could signify something more serious, like conjunctivitis, uveitis, or even a retinal detachment.
If your child has any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should see a pediatric ophthalmologist, who can help determine the underlying cause and recommend the best treatment. A pediatric ophthalmologist can treat these issues with corrective lenses, eye patches, and other treatments like eye muscle exercises. In some cases, the child may require surgery to correct eye
problems.
Calvert Ophthalmology Center's eye doctors are experienced and good at figuring out what's wrong with a child's eyesight and fixing it. We know how important it is to find and treat eye problems early, and we are committed to helping kids get the best vision possible. Don't allow your child's vision to keep them from reaching their full potential. Give your child the gift of clear vision by
contacting us today.
