Being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have. But it also comes with a lot of stress and worries, especially about your child’s health and well-being.
One common problem children face from a very young age is with their eyes.
As an infant is growing, they may face some problem with their eyesight, which needs to be checked out before it becomes too complex.
In infants or toddlers, myopia is an eyesight issue that can develop at a young age. Myopia is commonly known as “short-sightedness” as it causes blurry vision at a distance.
In cases of myopia, a child can see things up close but they have trouble reading or viewing things that are far away.
It may not be a very serious issue at a young age, but it can surely cause a lot of inconvenience for young children.
So, if you think your child is suffering from myopia – what are the signs to look out for?
The 7-signs of Myopia in Your Child
1. Complaining About Blurry Vision:
One of the first signs of myopia in children is that they start complaining that they cannot see things far away.
The clearest indication is if your child complains that they could not see the board at school because they sat on the backbench.
This should tell you that there is something wrong with their eyesight.
2. Schoolwork Going Down:
When a child cannot see the board, when they cannot follow the lesson well, it will obviously impact their school work.
Perhaps they miss out on their homework or the teacher sends a note that they are not writing their classwork properly.
As parents, the first thing should be to ask your child if they are facing any trouble with their work at school.
3. Holding Books/other Reading Objects Very Close:
There are times that you see your child is holding their book or the tablet they are playing with very close to their eyes. This is one of the most important pointers for myopia in children.
They cannot see the small letters or images in a book when it is kept away from their eyes. Their line of vision is compromised, therefore they need to see things very close.
4. Squinting:
In the case of infants, one of the first things for a parent to notice if they are squinting or not.
If you show them a book or a picture on the wall or something at a distance, sometimes they tend to squint their eyes very close to see it.
If this happens, you should be careful. There is a chance that your child is having difficulty seeing things that are placed at a distance.
The squinting is easier to notice in infants rather than toddlers and children.
5. Rubbing Eyes:
Sometimes this is normal, but at other times rubbing eyes could be a pointer of some vision issue.
If a child is rubbing their eyes frequently, for a long time, and usually when they are involved in some kind of visual activity.
If the problem persists, it will be a good idea to consult a doctor and get it checked at the earliest.
6. Sitting Very Close to the Tv/monitor:
It is a general idea that children should be kept at an optimum distance from the screen to ensure the safety of their eyes.
But sometimes, you notice that your child is starting to sit closer or hold the tablet nearer to their eyes.
This might be because if they are at a distance, the screen is appearing blurry to them.
It is important that in times like this you ask your child if they can see the screen alright from a certain distance. If they are not, it might be because your child is developing myopia.
These are some of the basic pointers for parents to remember. But there is one sure-shot way to scientifically diagnose your child’s vision problem. It is the chart test.
7. Conduct a Vision Chart Test:
Medical professionals conduct the chart test as the basic eye examination on any patient. At home, parents can make a basic chart with some letters and numbers of different sizes.
The chart distance is usually 10-feet. With this setup, tell your child to read the chart and ask them to point out where they are having trouble seeing.
It gives you a basic idea of what needs to be done. When this test is done at a primary level, it helps you tell the doctor more specifically about your child’s problem.
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