How to Detect Poor Eye Sight in Children

Good eye sight is an important part of a child's overall health and development. Children who see better are more likely to do well in school and have reading confidence. Poor eye sight can have many causes and is often treatable if detected early. Since children may not be able to communicate eye problems, care should be taken to help detect poor eye sight in children.

Instructions

• 1

  Schedule regular eye exams. Children should begin receiving complete eye exams at the age of six months for early detection of vision problems. The doctor will preform age appropriate tests to check for a variety of structural or functional vision problems.

• 2

  Listen for complaints of tired eyes or headaches. Many children can not explain the specific pain or problem being experienced. These complaints could indicate eye strain and may be cause for a check up.

• 3

  Assess whether the child is rubbing his eyes excessively. This could indicate the child's vision is not clear and needs to be focused with corrective measures.

• 4

  Note whether the child has sensitivity to light. This can be observed by watching for squinting or excessive tearing when entering bright areas. The child may also shield her eyes from bright lights as a defensive measure.

• 5

  Observe how close the child sits to the television. Sitting too close to the television could indicate the child is struggling to make out the images. This also applies to activities involving reading.

• 6

  Watch for falling grades and decreased motivation to read. Poor eye sight in children can lead to falling grades by making it harder for the child to concentrate or even follow his reading assignments. The child may become frustrated by his inability to see words correctly or fear being ridiculed by her peers.