Little ones can be easy to forget about when it comes to vision care, since they often do not complain about eye trouble. August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, which serves as a great reminder of the vision issues that can affect children and prompt you to schedule a children’s eye exam.
Near or Farsighted Vision
Diagnosing a child’s eyesight problem is not an easy task, which is why a yearly eye exam for children is so important. Typical signs you might notice are squinting, or tilting of the child’s head when watching television or viewing something at a distance. They may avoid participating in activities that involve high level of visual cues, reading, or sight detail. Vision issues that are left uncorrected are likely to cause learning issues in school-aged children.
Colorblindness
Color vision issues can be very hard to detect in children. Colorblindness may result in severe learning problems for children who are left undiagnosed, since color is used to teach concepts and ideas in early education. Colorblindness runs in families and generally affects males, so if other male family members are colorblind, your male child could be as well. If you suspect your child is colorblind, schedule a children’s eye exam right away to prevent learning delays.
Eye Injuries
Many children lose their eyesight while they are young due to easily preventable accidents. Always supervise playing children, and ensure that toys are age appropriate. When children of different age groups are playing together, watch for rough play or flying objects. A little caution goes a long way to prevent vision loss.
Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month is a great way to remember how vision issues can affect the most vulnerable age groups. Talk to your Phoenix eyecare professional for more children’s eye health information.
