Diagnosing kid's eye problems can be tricky as most children don't realize they have any vision issues; this is just the way that their eyes are. That is why as a parent, it is important to understand and know some of the most common vision problems that impact children which can be missed with a simple chart reading vision check and require a trip to the actual eye doctor.
#1 Strabismus
Strabismus is a condition where one's eyes are not correctly aligned. One's eyes may instead turn either up, down, in or out. This alignment may not be that obvious just looking at your child. However, it is something that a doctor can detect. When detected by a doctor, it can easily be corrected. Often, this condition can be corrected with special glasses or with eye patches. Sometimes, but not often, surgery is necessary to correct this condition.
#2 Astigmatism
Astigmatism is something you cannot see just by looking at your child. Astigmatism is when light does not refract correctly with your eye. It is a problem with how your eye deals with light. Instead of light being focused as it should, the light that hits your child's eye is refracted in multiple directions. What this means for your child is when they look at things at a distance, everything is a little blurry or distorted. A child born with this condition may not even realize that something is wrong. Your child may complain of headaches or their eyes hurting after doing tasks that require visual focus, such as reading or watching a movie. You may also notice your child frequently squints.
The good news is this condition can be corrected. Often, all that is needed to correct astigmatism is either glasses or contacts. Sometimes, surgery is necessary.
Sadly, it often takes years for children's eye issues to be detected, especially eye issues that may not be detected by a simple eye-chart vision test, which is the type of test most often given in schools. That is why you should take your child from a young age to the actual eye doctor for a check-up. The eye doctor will be able to run a full array of tests that will allow them to detect eye issues early on and fix them. That is the best way to ensure a serious eye issue with your child is not overlooked.
Contact your local eye doctors to learn more about comprehensive vision examinations.
