Children’s eyes are essential to their development. Through their eyes, children learn about their world. While sight is the last of the senses to mature, sight is the most important for children. 80% of children’s education comes in visual form. This means that children with a visual impairment can suffer educationally and developmentally through no fault of their own. Headaches, double vision and blurred vision can make traditional education a problem without corrective measures.
Imagine trying to read a text book and having the letters or words seem to move and jump as you’re trying to learn.
Many children, their parents and their teachers do not always realise that their struggles in the classroom are in no way linked to their ability or willingness to learn. Instead, they simply cannot visually process the information they’re studying.
Symptoms of vision problems in children
Parents and teachers should be vigilant for the following signs in young children. They could be evidence of an eye condition.
- Complaints of headaches or eye strain
- Blurred vision or double vision
- Crossed eyes or eyes that appear to move independently of each other
- Dislike or avoidance of reading and close work
- Short attention span during visual tasks
- Turning or tilting the head to use one eye only, or closing or covering one eye
- Placing the head very close to the book or desk when reading or writing
- Excessive blinking or rubbing the eyes
- Slow reading speed or poor reading comprehension
- Difficulty remembering what was read
- Difficulty remembering, identifying or reproducing shapes
- Poor hand-eye coordination
Eye problems in children can develop as early as in the womb itself. Some eye conditions are genetic, while others are just a fluke of nature. The trouble is young children may struggle to articulate their eye problems. Fortunately, 90% of eye conditions can be caught on a regular eye test.
Clear and healthy vision is vital to your child’s development and at Eyesite, we go that extra mile to help your child have happy and healthy vision. Visit your local branch and give your child the best possible eye care.
