A weak eyesight in young children is easy to go unnoticed. Most of the time, children themselves are unable to understand the problem, leave alone report it.
As parents thus it is on us to be extremely vigilant if we notice any behavioral or physical changes in young children and take them to the specialist.
One of the common problems in growing children can be that of a weak eyesight. A child when experiencing weak eyesight may try to adjust his vision accordingly and in the process, the eyesight may weaken further.
While it is best to have a yearly routine to take your children to an eye specialist, it is also advisable to watch out for these 5 signs that may indicate that your child may need an eye test.
1.Sitting up close to the TV: It is one of the commonest signs. If the TV is on and you notice your child getting up and standing too close to the TV do not ever think that the child wants to be close to their favourite cartoon character.
More often than not, it is a child’s subconscious reaction to get a clearer vision. If you see your child getting up from the sofa to go up close to the TV, it is best to book an appointment with the specialist soon.
2.Squinting or closing one eye: Have you seen your child trying to focus on something distant by closing one eye or squinting and trying to exert one eye?
Chances are, that the child is trying to use his or her strong eye because they cannot probably see clearly with both eyes. Also known as lazy eye, this needs immediate attention as it may result in further weakening of the eyesight.
3.Being fussy and rubbing their eyes: Very young children may not be even able to express that they have a blurry vision. As a result, they are often rubbing their eyes and when this doesn’t work they end up being fussy.
You may also look for additional symptoms such as watery eyes and book an appointment pronto.
4. Difficulty understanding in school: The first problem most school going children face when they suffer from a weak eyesight is that they cannot properly read on the blackboard.
This leads to problems in comprehending what’s going on in school and also results in poor performance. Sometimes the teachers may dismiss it as an unwillingness to learn and concentrate but as parents, it is important to rule out this health condition too.5
5. Headache or dizziness: Somewhat older children may be able to complain about a recurring headache or a general feeling of dizziness.
The younger children will display signs as fussiness and irritability. If you experience that your child may be indicating any of these problems do not postpone that eye doctor’s appointment.
Republished with permission from: The Indus Parent