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Does Your Child Need Glasses?

Long gone are the days when glasses were reserved for the older or elderly. Today, an increasing number of those who wear glasses are alarmingly from an age group that drinks from a sippy cup or needs to be driven around for play dates. The highly digital environment in which we live in is largely to blame for this, where kids seem to stare more into the glaring screens of their gadgets than into a book. So, take charge of the situation by learning the facts, identifying the cues and be prepared if your child requires glasses.

Did you know that there’s a mall in Beijing called Eyeglass City, which is a four-storey mall of only spectacle shops with eyewear of every colour, theme, shape, frame, etc? Perhaps it’s time to open up our eyes, pardon the pun, on the issues of vision impairment, especially among kids.

So, here are some clues that may hint of a vision problem in your child:

Tripping or bumping into objects

If your child runs into corners and objects a little too often, it may be a sign that they’re not seeing as well as they should.

Tilting the head

Tilting the head can be a sign of an eye muscle imbalance or strabismus. A child may have double vision when looking down or from a certain angle or direction. Tilting the head may minimise the double vision, but this also means that an eye check is in order.

Sitting too close to the television

Most children occasionally sit too close to the TV or computer. But if it’s become a habit, there may be a problem. Sitting very close to the television or lowering the head while reading is also often a sign of nearsightedness. Nearsighted people generally have clear vision at a close range and poor vision at a distance.

Covering one eye to read or watch television

A child who covers one eye to read is simply shutting off the eye with the poorer vision, so that it does not interfere with the vision of the better eye. An uncorrected vision problem in one eye can increase a child’s risk of developing amblyopia (lazy eye). Covering one eye can also be a sign of double vision caused by strabismus or a more serious medical problem, such as a cataract.

Excessive tearing

Children often have lag ophthalmus, a condition which causes the eyes to dry out at night because the eyelids do not close entirely while sleeping. This leads to excessive tearing during the day that interferes with good vision.

Rubbing the eyes

Rubbing the eyes is a sign of eye fatigue and can be a sign of all types of vision problems. Medical conditions such as allergic conjunctivitis can also cause vision problems.

Finger pointing while reading

Finger pointing while reading could mean the child is a slow reader, but it could also be sign of a vision problem, such as amblyopia. Amblyopic eyes may experience a “crowding” phenomenon. Kids with amblyopic eyes find it difficult to recognise words that appear very close to other letters or words.

Light sensitivity

Children with exotropia, a type of strabismus, occasionally squint their eye or eyes when exposed to bright sunlight. This could be interpreted as light sensitivity.

Frequent Headaches and Squinting

Is your child constantly squinting , complaining of frequent headaches or have an eye-rubbing habit? Does he or she seem to always feel unexplainably nauseous? These are valid reasons to head to the optometrist.

As for squinting, peeking through a small opening reduces the size of the blurred image on the back of the retina. This temporarily improves vision and could be a sign of your child compensating for poor vision.

Early detection saves precious eyesight!

Don’t wait or put on hold something as crucial as an eye check-up, especially if your child shows signs of having eye issues. Poor vision can have a very negative impact on children’s learning capabilities, their childhood experiences and their future too.

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