Eye problems in kids have become increasingly common. Find information on common eye problems in kids and also know the ways to check if your kid is facing any kind of eye problem. There is a common perception in most parents that kids have some fixed set of eye problems such as squinting and rubbing eyes frequently. But since parents are in a position to first notice any symptom of eye problem in their kid, it is desired that they are more observant and aware. Remember that in the first couple of months after birth, the infant is only able to see objects that are 8-10 inches away from their face. Generally, their eyesight begins to improve after they reach their 16th week. They can see things that are far and also clearer. By the time your kid completes his first year, the depth perception of vision develops along with the eye-body and eye-hand coordination. So, eye problem at this age is quite unusual. It is only when you see symptoms that the vision is not developing in the manner as expected or the kid is not able to see at all, that you take measures accordingly. In this articleSymptoms of Eye Problems in KidsEye Problem of Refractive Error in KidsStrabismusAmplyopiaSymptoms of Eye Problems in Kids Given below are some common signs that you need to look for in order to decide whether your kid is suffering from any eye problem:Both eyes do not move in unison.The eyes appear crossed.The kid complains of persistent headache, or you notice that he furrows his brows while looking or staring at something or holds his head as if in pain.He rubs his eyes frequently and very aggressively.He shows irritation to bright lights or loud sounds.There are symptoms of nausea, like he complains of stomach ache, there is a fall in his appetite and he refuses to eat and often vomits.When he gazes or looks at some object, he cocks his head to one of his sides or squints.He always sits very close to the television, as if to get a better view.He frequently ends up bumping into objects that otherwise could have been avoided.Eye Problem of Refractive Error in Kids This is a common eye problem in kids where the objects appear distorted. It is caused when the cornea happens to be irregularly shaped. This condition gives rise to any of the following diseases – Myopia or nearsightednessHyperopia or farsightednessAstigmatism or blurry vision caused by inaccurate focusGlasses with respective powers are a solution to these problems. Strabismus Here, the eyes do not move in unison and neither do they align. This condition is caused when any of the eye muscles happen to be weak, and so the eye appears to wander. This condition needs to be treated early so that the effectiveness of the treatment is high and further complications with age are prevented. Doctors often recommend the kid to wear an eye patch on the stronger eye for an hour or so regularly, so that the weaker eye is trained to work better. Glasses and eye drops are recommended and if required, the weaker eye is operated. Amplyopia This condition is commonly referred to as the ‘lazy eye’ which happens if the kid has untreated strabismus. The kid keeps on having double vision as the two eyes do not align and these results in the inability of the brain to learn to see properly and identify objects. This can be corrected with medical treatment and surgery. Finally, it is the parent who needs to identify whether the kid is suffering from any eye problems. Though you should not expect the kid to read through the eye chart, but get a baseline eye evaluation done by a trained eye care professional by the time the kid completes six months. You need to be extra careful if there is a family history of eye problems.
Eye problems in kids have become increasingly common. Find information on common eye problems in kids and also know the ways to check if your kid is facing any kind of eye problem. There is a common perception in most parents that kids have some fixed set of
eye problems such as squinting and rubbing eyes frequently. But since parents are in a position to first notice any symptom of eye problem in their kid, it is desired that they are more observant and aware. Remember that in the first couple of months after birth, the infant is only able to see objects that are 8-10 inches away from their face. Generally, their eyesight begins to improve after they reach their 16
th week. They can see things that are far and also clearer.
By the time your kid completes his first year, the depth perception of vision develops along with the eye-body and eye-hand coordination. So, eye problem at this age is quite unusual. It is only when you see symptoms that the vision is not developing in the manner as expected or the kid is not able to see at all, that you take measures accordingly.
Symptoms of Eye Problems in Kids
Given below are some common signs that you need to look for in order to decide whether your kid is suffering from any eye problem:
- Both eyes do not move in unison.
- The eyes appear crossed.
- The kid complains of persistent headache, or you notice that he furrows his brows while looking or staring at something or holds his head as if in pain.
- He rubs his eyes frequently and very aggressively.
- He shows irritation to bright lights or loud sounds.
- There are symptoms of nausea, like he complains of stomach ache, there is a fall in his appetite and he refuses to eat and often vomits.
- When he gazes or looks at some object, he cocks his head to one of his sides or squints.
- He always sits very close to the television, as if to get a better view.
- He frequently ends up bumping into objects that otherwise could have been avoided.
Eye Problem of Refractive Error in Kids
This is a common eye problem in kids where the objects appear distorted. It is caused when the cornea happens to be irregularly shaped. This condition gives rise to any of the following diseases –
- Myopia or nearsightedness
- Hyperopia or farsightedness
- Astigmatism or blurry vision caused by inaccurate focus
Glasses with respective powers are a solution to these problems.
Strabismus
Here, the eyes do not move in unison and neither do they align. This condition is caused when any of the eye muscles happen to be weak, and so the eye appears to wander. This condition needs to be treated early so that the effectiveness of the treatment is high and further complications with age are prevented. Doctors often recommend the kid to wear an eye patch on the stronger eye for an hour or so regularly, so that the weaker eye is trained to work better. Glasses and eye drops are recommended and if required, the weaker eye is operated.
Amplyopia
This condition is commonly referred to as the ‘lazy eye’ which happens if the kid has untreated strabismus. The kid keeps on having double vision as the two eyes do not align and these results in the inability of the brain to learn to see properly and identify objects. This can be corrected with medical treatment and surgery.
Finally, it is the parent who needs to identify whether the kid is suffering from any eye problems. Though you should not expect the kid to read through the eye chart, but get a baseline eye evaluation done by a trained eye care professional by the time the kid completes six months. You need to be extra careful if there is a family history of eye problems.
