Your child's eyes work with light and his brain to provide him with vision. Although his vision starts out fuzzy at birth, it becomes clearer as he grows older. If you notice your child squinting, it can be an indication of several problems that an eye specialist can help correct.
Causes
Your child may be squinting due to a number of problems, such as an eye infection, lazy eye or cataracts, which is clouding of the eye's lenses. If she squints while trying to read something up close, she may be far-sighted, which means that she has poor near vision. If her squinting occurs when trying to see something in the distance, she could be near-sighted, which means that she has poor distant vision. Medline Plus states that she is more likely to be nearsighted if there is a family history. In rare cases, her squinting can be the result of a malignant tumor that causes vision loss.
Other Symptoms
In addition to squinting, other symptoms often accompany infections and vision problems. He may constantly rub his eyes, be sensitive to lights and have trouble reading. If his squinting is a result of a lazy eye, you may notice that he has trouble tracking objects or that his eyes are poorly aligned.
Testing
If you notice a problem with your child's eyes, talk to her doctor. He may refer her to a pediatric ophthalmologist or optometrist. The eye specialist may measure the fluid in her eyes, do a visual exam or ask her to read letters up close and far away.
Treatment and Management
Eye infections can typically be treated with antibiotic eye drops. If your child's squinting is caused by cataracts, he may need to wear contacts or have the cataracts surgically removed. If he has a lazy eye or is near-sighted or far-sighted, glasses and contact lenses may be necessary to help him see. Kids Health suggests that plastic glasses frames work best for children under the age of 2, and an elastic strap can be used to keep glasses in place for active children. In some situations, your child's eye specialist may recommend laser eye surgery to correct vision problems.
Recommendation
Newborns are checked for eye problems at birth, and ideally your child will receive regular eye exams. Regular eye health screenings can help catch problems early, making treatment and management easier. If your child experiences vision problems, it can make her frustrated and even cause her to have trouble in school.
