How To Detect Vision Problems In Children?

Some common vision problems in children, such as squinting or myopia, are relatively easy for parents to detect. However, other vision problems may be more difficult to notice. Precisely because of this, it is important to be aware of several symptoms that may indicate that a child has eye diseases or vision problems.

Signs that may indicate vision problems in children

Your child may show early warning signs, such as not being able to recognize distant relatives properly or placing objects very close to their face. A child may also rub or cross their eyes, especially when they are tired. In other cases, they may tilt their head back to try to see better and complain of headaches or blurred vision.

A child’s vision – related behavior during the first months of life

During the first year of life, the normal development of vision is as follows:

• 6 weeks. They respond to facial expressions.
• 2-3 months. They perceive movement and can follow bright objects with their eyes.
• 3-6 months. They look at their hands and can follow the activities around them.
• 4 months. They smile at their reflection in the mirror.
• 6 months. They follow objects that move with their eyes and try to reach them.
• 7 months. They touch their mirror image in the mirror.
• 9 months. They move forward to look at an object.
• 1 year. They look for toys and objects that disappear from their field of vision.

Types of vision problems

The most common vision problems in children are refractive errors such as myopia, farsightedness and crooked corneas (astigmatism). Amblyopia, strabismus and color blindness (change in color vision) are also common.

Amblyopi

Amblyopia affects about 2-5% of the population and  is one of the most common causes of vision loss in developed countries. In cases of amblyopia, diagnosis and early treatment are the keys to preventing the disease from progressing into adulthood.

You need to pay special attention to your baby if it was born prematurely and if you have a family history of amblyopia, refraction problems or retinal problems. Although this condition is usually asymptomatic, some symptoms may include headaches and neck pain. If your child can already read, they may skip words or confuse different letters.

Squinting

Strabismus affects between 3% and 6% of the population. It is important to diagnose this condition early, as it can be corrected in children with proper treatment, but this is no longer possible in adulthood.

Here are some signs of squinting:

• Misadjustment of the eyes.
• The eyes do not move together in the same direction.
• The child tilts his head to the side to look at specific points.
• The child blinks or rubs his eyes.
• The child squints or closes one eye to focus.

Vision problems in children: Refractive error

Approximately 20% of children are affected by refractive errors such as skewed cornea, myopia and farsightedness.

Myopia

Myopia (myopia) manifests itself at the age of about six years and usually leads to symptoms such as wheezing to focus on objects that are far away, as well as not recognizing people who are relatively far away. Some children may also move closer to objects to see them better or squint as they read to focus better.

Myopia

This condition, also called hypermetropia, is usually physiological, meaning that it is present in most babies at birth. However, it gradually disappears as the eye grows. In some cases, however, it can persist throughout life. An uncorrected high degree of farsightedness can cause amblyopia or squinting. This condition can cause headaches when performing activities near the eyes and tired eyes after performing such activities.

Skewed cornea

This condition, called astigmatism in the technical language, causes the light from objects that enter the eye to focus on more than one point on the retina. This leads to blurred and distorted vision. The main symptom is a blurred or distorted perception, both when it comes to objects nearby and far away.

If you suspect vision problems in children, talk to a specialist

Were you already familiar with the symptoms of vision problems in children? If you notice these symptoms in your child, take them to a specialist. He or she will find out what the problem is and how it should be treated.