Signs of Children's Vision Problems

One of the leading reasons children have problems in school is that they can't see the board or they have problems seeing words to read. Eyesight problems can affect children of any age, but without anything to compare it to, children don't know if their eyesight isn't as good as it should be. Your child may not be able to tell you he needs an appointment with our Greenville optometrist Dr. McIntosh, but there are signs you can pick upon if you're observant. Pay attention to your child's behavior to catch the clues that he needs to come see our Greenville eye doctor.

Greenville Children Eye Care Dr. McIntosh Advises on Poor Eyesight Clues

Your child can be telling you she has trouble seeing by her everyday behavior. If you see these clues to eyesight problems, make an appointment for her to have her eyes examined:

• Moving things closer  Whether she's holding a book close to her nose or sitting as close to the television as possible, it's a good sign she's having problems seeing at a normal distance
• Sensitivity to light  If your child's eyes water when faced with camera flashes or if he has a hard time dealing with bright sunlight, it can be a sign of a number of different eye conditions
• Squinting or closing one eye  Both these behaviors are a good sign that you child is having a hard time focusing on a book or television screen
• Unexplainable drop in grades  Many children are reluctant to tell their teacher they have a hard time seeing the front of the classroom or a book. If your child's grades drop for no apparent reason, poor eyesight may be the cause
• Avoiding the computer  If your child complains that the computer hurts his eyes, he may be suffering from a particular type of eye strain. Have him take a visual break from screens every 20 minutes, and limit his computer time until he eyes are examined

With all the problems bad eyesight can cause children in school, sports, and daily life, it's important that they have regular eye checkups. What was your child's first clue that he had a problem with his eyesight?