I was born with a lazy eye and needed glasses from a very young age and eventually two corrective muscle surgeries and a Lasik surgery later, I’m very fortunate that my parents paid very close attention to my eyes and my behavior, because I treasure my vision as one of my greatest senses since it allows me to see the world and to read and much, much more.
Here are some tips to help you monitor for vision problems in your child, so you can give them the greatest gift by protecting their sight and helping them if they need it.
- Pronounced clumsiness or stumbling or even failure to see objects on a regular basis can indicate a severe vision impairment and you may want to have your pediatrician evaluate their sight
- Frequent squinting without excess light can indicate a difficulty in seeing
- Extreme sensitivity to light such as bright lights in the home or sunlight may indicate an issue
- Swelling, redness or crusting around the eyes with or without sleep may indicate an eye infection
- Eyes that seem to wander or looking elsewhere than where they are indicating could indicate a muscle problem with their eyes
- Demonstrations of discomfort, closing them frequently or rubbing them when they are obviously not tired
- Eyes that appear obviously crossed or off center
- Holding objects up close to their face to see them frequently and more than just the normal exploratory nature of toddlers
- Pupils that seem abnormally large or small
- Frequent headaches or complaints of headaches or acting as if they are in pain and there are few other distinguishable causes
If you think your toddler has a vision problem or infection, talk to your pediatrician. The sooner the problem is identified, the sooner they can get help. And while wearing glasses may not be ideal for young toddlers – it can open a whole new world for them and there are plenty of indestructible materials out there that can make eyeglasses an option for your toddler without fear of them shattering them and hurting themselves.
Does your toddler have vision problems?