Early Signs That Indicate Your Child Is Facing Vision Issues And You Should Not Ignore It

Is your child’s vision actually getting blurry, or they are faking it to get cool glasses? Find out!

While kids depend on all five senses to learn, nearly 80 percent of what they learn in class is taught visually: writing, reading, board work, and using the computer or smart board are some of the most vital and common tasks that children perform at school. Their eyes are working constantly! So if they experience vision issues, their performance in sports and school will suffer equally. Here are some early symptoms and behavior you should look for, to detect if your child’s vision is deteriorating.

Reading books or watching TV too closely

Reading or watching TV from a close range could be a sign, suggesting that your child is experiencing vision problems like nearsightedness. If your little one sits close to the computer screen and TV or brings their textbook closer to their face to read and often squints their eyes to get a better view of things placed afar—they may be suffering from shortsightedness or myopia. But sometimes, children simply prefer viewing things up close to be able to focus better. However, it is best to get their vision checked by an optometrist rather than assuming.

Your little one has a fleeting attention span.

Is your child frequently losing interest or focus in projects, games, or other time-taking activities? Such activities typically need a clear vision, and if your child is experiencing vision problems—they might face difficulty paying attention or staying focused. 

Losing track of words when reading

It is essential to note that kids commonly use their fingers to track what they are reading when they are learning to read. But eventually, they should get comfortable reading without using their fingers to keep track. If your kid continues using this habit, you should ask them to omit it. If they have trouble reading without pointing—it might be due to a vision issue.

Frequently rubbing their eyes.

It is normal for children to rub their eyes when they are tired or upset. However, if they vigorously rub their peepers every time they are trying to focus on something, it could be due to an underlying eye problem. If the eye rubbing persists, it may be due to eye-teaming and focusing problems.

Shutting one eye to read or watch

If you notice your little one closing one eye frequently to watch or read something, it suggests they might have a binocular vision issue that is hindering the coordination of both eyes working together.

Do not neglect these behaviors and consult an optometrist to do the needful.