A parent, grandparent, or other family member may be the first to notice that a child is having vision problems. Or, it may be a teacher or other educator who notices the problem. Sometimes, a vision problem goes undetected until an annual eye exam.
A child who is having vision problems may not come out and say something like, “I can’t see the blackboard,” or “It’s hard to see things that are far away.” They may not say anything at all! But there are some signs you can watch out for.
When your child is reading or doing other close work, watch out for: holding books and other reading material extremely close to the face, using a finger or other tool to help keep their place, omitting or confusing small words, frequently losing their place, and frequent reversals (going back to re-read). These can all be signs that your child has a vision problem!
Some children with vision problems try to avoid situations where their eyes are a problem. You may notice your child avoiding close work (like art, crafts, or reading). Your child may make excuses for not reading, or sitting very close to the television.
You may notice some physical changes in your child, too. A child with vision problems may rub his or her eyes frequently, or suffer from headaches. You may see your child tilting their head or using one eye only to read or watch television.
Vision problems can cause children to consistently perform below their true potential — and it makes sense. If your eyes make it hard to see the blackboard, read assignments, or complete homework, your performance would suffer, too.
As many as a quarter of all school-aged children may have some kind of vision problem. Keeping an eye out for the above symptoms and scheduling regular eye exams can help detect and treat vision problems early.