Healthy eyes help children interact with their world, which aids them in developing new abilities. However, at least 5 percent of preschoolers and 25 percent of school-age children have vision problems, and 10 percent of children are at risk for having an undiagnosed vision problem, according to the American Optometric Association. Looking for signs of eye problems in your child and scheduling regular eye examinations from infancy on will help your child get the most out of her senses.
Detection
Neonatologists and pediatricians routinely screen infants and young children for eye problems at their check-ups, according to the Cleveland Clinic. They check for proper alignment and problems outside the eye and test how the pupil reacts to light. The American Optometric Association recommends that infants get their first comprehensive eye exam, including vision testing, by age 6 months and suggests that children undergo additional screenings and eye exams at age 3 and right before the first grade. Doctors and medical professionals who visit schools routinely screen children after age 5 and, if they suspect an eye problem, will refer parents to an eye doctor.
Signs and Symptoms
Your child may have vision problems if he constantly rubs his eyes, is sensitive to light, has trouble focusing on objects, has trouble tracking moving objects, has abnormal eye alignment or movement after age 6 months, has chronic redness and tearing or if his pupil is white instead of black, according to KidsHealth, part of the Nemours Foundation. Other signs that your child might be having trouble seeing are: an inability to see distant objects, an inability to read the blackboard at school, squinting, trouble reading and sitting close to the television screen, says KidsHealth.
Common Problems
About 20 percent of children have refractive errors, or blurred vision that occurs when an eye's shape disables it from properly bending light. Nearsightedness--- also known as myopia---is trouble seeing objects at a distance, farsightedness---also known as hyperopia---is trouble seeing objects close up, and astigmatism, the imperfect curvature of the surface on the front of the eye. Two other common eye problems in children are amblyopia and strabismus. Amblyopia---often called lazy eye---is poor vision in an otherwise normal appearing eye, and strabismus is misalignment of the eyes, according to KidsHealth.
Other Conditions
Some eye conditions in children require immediate intervention. One such condition is retinopathy of prematurity, a potentially blinding disease of the retina in premature babies. Another is retinoblastoma, which is a malignant tumor that typically appears within a child's first 3 years. Others include infantile cataracts, which gradually cloud the lens, and congenital glaucoma, which is incorrect or incomplete development of the eye's drainage canal, according to KidsHealth.
Treatments
Treatments for eye problems range from eye drops to surgery, depending on the underlying condition. If, for example, a refractive error is the problem, an eye doctor is likely to give a child corrective lenses such as glasses or contacts. If a child has a lazy eye, the eye doctor may prescribe eye drops, special glasses or an eye patch to help the eyes align or recommend special strengthening exercises or surgery, according to WhattoExpect.com.
