10 Signs Your Child May Need Glasses

One in four children in the United States has undiagnosed vision problems, even if they’ve passed a school vision screening. Be aware of the following signs that may indicate vision problems.

1. You child may be squinting to help their eyes focus on a blurry image.

2. If your child is tilting their head, this could indicate an eye muscle imbalance, or strabismus. Your child may have double vision and tilting their head could minimize the problem.

3. Sitting too close to the television is often a sign of nearsightedness, meaning someone has clear vision at close range and poor vision from a distance. Moving closer to a screen or book brings the blurry object into focus and makes the image larger.

4. A child who covers one eye to read or watch television is simply “turning off” the eye with poor vision.

5. If your child has frequent frontal headaches or brow aches, this can indicate farsightedness. The headaches are caused by the attempts to clear blurry vision.

6. Some children have excessive tearing during the day because of a condition that causes the eyes to dry out a night because the eyelids do not completely close while sleeping.

7. If your child is continually rubbing their eyes, this can be a sign of eye fatigue and other vision problems.

8. Many children will finger point while reading and while that’s common when they’re learning to read, it may be a sign of vision problems. Amblyopia or “lazy eye” can see letters and words very close to each other, making them difficult to recognize.

9. Children who skip lines or lose their place while reading may have a vision problem such as astigmatism or an eye muscle imbalance.

10. Some children squint or close one eye when exposed to bright light. This light sensitivity may indicate an eye muscle imbalance.

If you notice any of these signs in your child, schedule an appointment for a full eye exam. Your CPCMG pediatrician may discover that your child is nearsighted or farsighted — vision problems that are easily corrected.