Does your child have a vision problem?

From the cradle to the classroom, kids require regular eye exams at every stage to ensure they’re developing to their full potential. Read about one little girl's eye-opening experience when she put her glasses on for the first time.

At first sight

The result of a child’s eye exam isn’t always dramatic, but sometimes it can be truly eye-opening. Recently, a pint-sized patient at Dr. Scott Mundle’s Optometry clinic, who literally couldn’t see what was right under her nose, experienced an incredible transformation. “This little girl couldn’t see anything within five feet of her, and then picked up her new glasses, looked around and said, ‘Mom, I never knew you had blue eyes,” says Dr. Mundle.“Everyone was in tears.”

Parents are often unaware that their child has a vision problem, because kids think the way they see the world is normal. They have no point of comparison, so they can’t tell Mom or Dad that something is wrong. Vision problems can occur at
 all stages of development and, if left untreated, can prevent kids from reaching their full academic and social potential. “The child may seem to be functioning normally, but one eye could be operating significantly differently from the other,” Dr. Mundle continues. “The most important thing is to bring kids in to make sure they have everything they need to establish good vision.”

Doctors of Optometry recommend that infants have their first eye examination between six and nine months of age. Children should have at least one eye exam between the ages of two and five, and yearly after starting school, to ensure optimal vision and development.

While it’s impossible to know if a child’s vision is developing normally until they receive a full eye exam, there are some signs that parents can watch for during each stage of development.

Infants

A young baby can only clearly see the person holding them, or a toy that’s placed nearby. By three months, familiar faces can be recognized, and by six months, babies should be able to focus and see colours. Doctors of Optometry will help ensure infants eyes are developing normally by checking for signs of nearsightedness or farsightedness, lazy eye, crossed eyes and, in rare cases, even the first signs of eye cancer.

Toddlers and preschoolers

At this age, focusing, tracking and depth perception are developing. Parents should watch for red or watery eyes, an eye that consistently turns in or out, squinting, excessive blinking and eye-rubbing. Lack of concentration can also signal a vision problem.

School-age kids

Conditions that can emerge among school-age children include nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism (distorted vision at any distance). Because hand-eye coordination is developing, parents
need to watch for difficulty playing sports. Headaches, eye-rubbing, omitting words while reading, or using a finger to track words, are other possible signs of vision problems.

Visit www.visionsourcenw.com to find a doctor and to book eye exams for you and your children.

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