Does Your Young Child Need Glasses?

Preschool children and toddlers can experience vision problems, but they sometimes don't have the communication skills to let caretakers know. They also could lack the frame of reference to understand that they are struggling to see — for some, trouble seeing has been normal for as long as they can remember, and they don't realize it could be better. 

Here are some clues to look for that can indicate your child needs a vision screening and possibly glasses or other corrective treatments. 

1. Their eyes tire by the end of the day. 

Your child might become less interested in tasks that require eye work as the day goes on. If you watch their eyes carefully, you might even notice that one eye becomes more "lazy" toward the end of the day, drifting toward the inner corner or outer corner of the eye as it gets more and more tired. This is especially common in children who have stronger vision in one eye than the other. The weaker eye stops trying altogether, becoming lazy, so their stronger eye picks up the slack. 

This problem can lead to more significant vision troubles down the road, so if you notice any changes to your child's eye alignment, especially in the evening, see an eye doctor as soon as possible. 

2. They seem to be clumsy.

Children with vision troubles might have difficulty perceiving depth. They also might not notice small obstacles in their path that could trip them. If one eye is weak, they will have reduced peripheral vision. All of these factors will manifest in clumsiness. Your child will trip and fall more often, bump into chairs or tables, or struggle going up and down the stairs without concentrating hard. 

3. They struggle to see things that blend into their surroundings. 

Looking for things that are missing is a skill, and even children with good vision take time to develop the skill of looking for an item in their environment. However, a child with poor vision might not be able to see the white sock on the beige carpet that is right in front of them. If your child tries and fails to look and find things that are well within reasonable sight, consider getting them an eye test. 

4. They sit close, close one eye, or use other coping methods to augment poor vision. 

Children develop all sorts of coping skills for poor vision. They might close one eye to see something better. They might sit closer to a screen to see it. They might tilt their head whenever they try to focus on something. They might rub their eyes or say they need to rest, even when they sleep well at night. These coping methods indicate a need for treatment. 

See an eye doctor to check your child's vision today.