How do you know when your child needs eyeglasses? The obvious answer is that your eye doctor tells you so. However, with children, it can be difficult to know when you need to get vision checked out. Their vision is still developing. What’s more, they may need eyeglasses not only to improve nearsighted or farsighted vision, but to correct an eye problem like a weak eye (amblyopic eye), improperly positioned eyes or differences in vision between two eyes.

There’s no substitute for the diagnostic an ophthalmologist or optometrist can do to check vision and determine an eyeglass prescription, but there are some signs you can watch for, so you know when to initiate a comprehensive eye exam.

Here are the top five signs to look for:

1. Squinting.

If you see your child squinting when looking at signs or a blackboard, it’s probably time for a vision screening. This can indicate a refractive error, which affects how well the eyes focus.

2. Tilting the head or covering one eye.

A child may do this to adjust the angle of vision when there’s a lazy or amblyopic eye or when the eyes are misaligned. It’s a good idea to get a vision screening at this point.

3. Sitting too close to the television or holding a handheld device too close.

This may indicate nearsightedness, or poorer vision at a distance. Bringing the object closer may make it easier for your child to see. Prescription eyeglass can easily correct this condition, so your child can view objects clearly at a normal distance.

4. Rubbing the eyes.

Think of that late night work project that causes your eyes to feel strained and tired. You rub at your eyes because they’re tired. Your child can experience this as well. It may indicate fatigue or strain, but also vision problems like allergic conjunctivitis. It’s a good idea to get it checked out. Your child will feel a lot better when the condition is treated.

5. Headaches, eye pain or difficulty concentrating on school work.

All of these signs can indicate vision problems. Headaches and eye pain may indicate that the eyes are strained, and difficulty focusing or not wanting to do school work may simply indicate that your child is having difficulty seeing or adjusting between near and far objects. Remember that your child may not be able to tell you exactly what’s wrong, but if you see any of these signs, it’s a good idea to get the eyes checked to either rule out that problem or correct it so your child feels better and can work more easily.

If you see any of these signs, it’s a good idea to get a comprehensive eye exam, which assesses visual acuity as well as depth perception and the overall health of the eye. An eye exam also screens for conditions like strabismus, or crossed eyes, and other eye ailments.

Once you get an eye exam and have a prescription, please visit Payne Glasses for a wide range of affordable glasses for kids. We’ve got some great styles to choose from, and our glasses are so affordable that you may even be able to choose a few pair to go with different outfits.

Contact us anytime with questions about our glasses!

Sources:

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/how-to-know-if-your-child-needs-glasses