As kids get back to school this year, it is important that parents and teachers are alert for subtle signs that could detect vision loss. Often times when a child is struggling in school, it may be that a vision problem is to blame. Look for these signs in your child:
* Squinting- This is a compensation mechanism that allows the child to see more clearly through a smaller field of vision. Squinting reduces the amount of blurriness and sharpens images. However it is only a temporary fix and can lead to further problems such as eye strain or headaches.
* Tilting the head to one side- This may be due to an imbalance in the eye muscles or strabismus more commonly called “lazy eye.” This condition can cause double vision and tilting the head corrects it.
* Sitting too close to the television or computer screen- We’ve all heard sitting too close to the TV will ruin your vision. However if your child starts getting closer and closer to the screen it may be a sign of nearsightedness. Covering one eye to watch TV or read is also a sign of vision problems as the child is just using the good eye to see.
* Losing place while reading
* Excessive tearing
* Rubbing eyes
* Light sensitivity
* Complaints of frequent headaches
