How to Recognize a Child May Have Vision Problems
- 1). Rubs eyes constantly. This can be a sign of eye fatigue.
- 2). Seems to be sensitive to light. Often a child will squint one eye when outside in bright sunlight.
- 3). Appears excessively clumsy. Although some clumsiness is normal for young children, if you worry that your child's tendency to stumble and bump into things is not improving, talk to your pediatrician.
- 4). Tilts his head to one side in order to see better. A child may be experiencing double vision when looking down.
- 5). Complains frequently of headaches or nausea. A child who is farsighted or has blurry vision may experience these symptoms.
- 6). Squints or closes one eye when reading or watching television. This is usually a sign that a child has poorer vision in one eye. Sitting too close to the television could be a sign that a child is nearsighted.
- 7). Shows poor hand-eye coordination. Vision problems are a common cause. One of the first signs that your preschooler may have a vision impairment contributing to poor hand-eye coordination is an inability to stay inside the lines when coloring a picture.
- 8). Lacks concentration, especially when reading or doing homework. If your child's handwriting goes either uphill or downhill, or if she has difficulty copying from a book to paper, the problem may be with vision, not a short attention span.