Children can’t really complain or tell the difference between good and bad eyesight. Either one will seem completely normal to them for they just don’t know any better. Vision problems are usually discovered when you go take your child to see an optician/ophthalmologist and most of the time, this only happens by chance.
Symptoms to look out for:
1. Your child happens to be extremely clumsy, stumbles a lot and has difficulty recognizing people or objects near or far.
2. You will notice a lot of squinting (unrelated to bright light) when trying to perform a regular task.
3. Eyes will look crossed or just wander around randomly.
4. Avoiding activities that require a lot of good vision such as reading and playing educational games.
5. Having bulgy eyes that seem to bounce in rapid rhythmic movements.
6. Head is frequently tilted to see better (you will notice this when your child tries to focus on something such as the television).
7. Holds objects extremely close to the face or stands too close to the TV to “see betterâ€.
8. Pupils look unequal in size and appear white instead of the “normal†black colour.
9. Older children might even complain about having severe headaches.
This can be quite worrying for every parent, so it is highly important to keep an eye for symptoms most especially if this problem runs in the family.
Helpful Resource:
What To Expect The Second Year by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
www.webmd.com