Common Vision Problems in Children

July 29, 2020

4 min read

Do you think you'd be able to easily tell if your child had a problem with their eyesight? While some signs and symptoms of a vision problem are obvious, others may be harder to spot.

If you're the parent or caregiver of a school-aged child, it's helpful to know the warning signs so you can ensure your child gets the proper vision correction resources they need. Undiagnosed and uncorrected vision problems in children have been linked to vision-related learning difficulties and behavior problems, along with impaired athletic and academic performance.

Read on to learn what you should look out for and what type of conditions are commonly diagnosed in school-aged chlidren.

Can You Tell If Your Child Has a Vision Problem? Here Are 9 Key Signs and Symptoms to Look For

Your child may not be able to tell you if they're having trouble seeing because they simply get "used" to it and aren't aware their vision could be better. Talk to your pediatrician or eye doctor if you notice that your kid:

1.
Squints frequently
2.
Frequently covers or rubs their eyes
3.
Has eyes that appear misaligned or not even
4.
Tilts his or her head when trying to focus on something
5.
Sits very close to the television and/or holds reading material and other objects very close
6.
Avoids, is disinterested in, or struggles with activities that require close-up focus or hand-eye coordination, such as looking at a phone or computer or catching a ball
7.
Complains of headaches and sore eyes after reading
8.
Loses their place a lot when reading
9.
Struggles in school and receives lower grades than usual

Computer vision syndrome, or digital eye strain, is also a common issue among school-aged children. While it's not considered a specific condition, computer vision syndrome can made even worse if your child has an undetected vision problem.

3 Common Childhood Vision Problems

1.
Refractive errors: normally, structures of the eye help light land directly on the light-sensitive tissue inside the back of the eye. With a refractive error, something—such as a long or short eyeball, or an overly flat or curved lens—alters the way light enters the eye and can cause blurry vision. Corrective eyewear like glasses is usually enough to help corret these refractive errors, which include:
2.
Nearsightedness (myopia), which disrupts faraway vision
3.
Farsightedness (hyperopia), which disrupts close-up vision
4.
Astigmatism, which causes blurry vision at various distances due to imperfections in the front curve of the eye
5.
Strabismus (crossed eye): this happens when one or both eyes are misaligned—it may turn in, out, up, or down. Surgery or specialized eyewear may be necessary to restore normal alignment.
6.
Amblyopia (lazy eye): the development of low vision in one eye due to the brain ignoring visual input from that eye, and preferring instead to process information from the other "good" eye. Refractive errors and strabismus can lead to amblyopia. Corrective eyewear, patches over the "good" eye (to force the brain to pay more attention to the "lazy" eye's input), and vision therapy can all help.

This list of childhood vision problems isn't all-inclusive. Many other types of pediatric vision problems exist, including retinoblastoma, infantile cataracts, and congenital glaucoma. Fortunately, these are much less common. In addition, neurodevelopmental disorders like Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy also commonly co-occur with vision problems.

You may be surprised to know that as many as 1 in 4 school-aged children have a vision problem.

A Final Note: Why Vision Screenings Aren't Enough

Vision screenings done in school settings can be useful, but they shouldn't be the only thing you rely on to assess your child's eyesight. Children need more comprehensive eye exams from an eye doctor, like an optometrist or ophthalmologist, to ensure their vision develops properly. An eye doctor can perform a more thorough assessment of your kid's visual skills, including acuity, color vision, tracking, depth perception, and binocular vision.

So, if vision screenings in school aren't enough, how often should you bring your child in for a comprehensive eye exam? Here's the recommendation from the AOA:

Your kid's first eye exam should be by or before they reach six months of age
The next eye exam should be at or before age 3
Another eye exam is best right before starting school
At this point, school-aged kids and teens should get their eyes checked at least every two years, or once per year if they use eyeglasses or contact lenses

Keep in mind that these are just general guidelines. Your child may need to visit with an eye doctor often.

Is a member of your family affected by low vision? Explore our Healthread community to meet other parents and caregivers who have found ways to help their children and loved ones succeed even with a vision impairment!