During the preschool years from ages 3 to 6, your child will be tweak the vision and visual abilities he already has developed during the infant and young child years.
Preschool vision tasks differ with a child’s age and activities. For instance, numerous young preschoolers are learning to ride tricycles and master the complex eye-hand coordination needed to pedal, steer and view where they’re going at the very same time.
Older preschoolers are discovering how to integrate vision and body motions (motor abilities) by playing sports such as softball (keep your eye on the ball!), and dealing with the fine motor skills needed to compose their names.
Signs of Vision Problems Of Preschool Children
If you have children between the ages of 3 and 6, understand these warning signs of possible preschool vision problems:
- Regularly sitting too near to the TV or holding a book too close
- Squinting
- Tilting the visit see much better
- Regularly rubbing eyes, even when not sleepy
- Shielding eyes or other signs of sensitivity to light
- Extreme tearing and watery eyes
- Closing one eye to read, enjoy TV or see much better
- Preventing activities that require near vision, such as coloring or reading, or distance vision, such as playing ball or tag
- Complaining of headaches or worn out eyes
Arrange an appointment with your optometrist or eye doctor if your preschooler displays any of these signs.
Astigmatism and Refractive Errors in Children
The most common preschool vision problems are refractive errors:
- Farsightedness is typical in children. Extreme farsightedness can lead to strabismus, such as crossed eyes.
If strabismus is due entirely to uncorrected farsightedness, using appropriately recommended glasses or contact lenses often can correct the eyes. Strabismus surgery typically is needed if your child has badly crossed eyes or constant strabismus not triggered by farsightedness.
Neglected strabismus can lead to amblyopia. If not dealt with, ultimately the amblyopic eye “turns off” and vision may be completely lost. - Nearsightedness, likewise called myopia, is another typical preschool vision issue. Myopia makes it difficult for children to clearly see the chalkboard and other distant things. In many cases, nearsightedness can be completely corrected with glasses or contacts.
- Astigmatism typically causes blurred or misshaped vision at all ranges. Like nearsightedness and farsightedness, astigmatism typically can be corrected entirely with glasses or contact lenses.
The First Eye Exam
Even if your child shows no symptoms of a refractive mistake or other preschool vision issues, he should have an eye examination by the age of 6 months and once again at age 3 years, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA).
Having a total eye test before your child goes into school allows sufficient time to capture and correct any vision problems that may interfere with learning.
For this factor, preschool children without symptoms should receive another eye test right before beginning school, the AOA states.
Must your child need correction for any visual problem, be it nearsightedness, farsightedness or strabismus, the AOA advises a test every year. An annual exam enables your eye care practitioner to remain on top of your child’s visual needs, in addition to guarantee that your child’s prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses is still right.
During preschool and the school years, your child’s visual system is developing along with the rest of her body, so yearly glasses prescription changes are common. Learn more about children’s eye examinations and how typically they’re required.
Ensure your child gets a detailed eye test from an eye care practitioner, not just vision screenings from school nurses or pediatricians.
Vision screenings might help spot problems, however they often miss them, too, because they are not total tests. And screenings generally are administered by people who don’t have enough eye-specific training to capture all vision and eye illness.
Inspiring Your Child To Wear Eyeglasses
If your child needs to use spectacles, get him associated with choosing the eyeglasses– if he assists pick the frame, he will be more determined to wear the glasses.
Also, discuss the advantages of the glasses to him, using particular examples – such as, “Your new glasses will help you see the ball better when you play catch.”
Arrange the eye exam and glasses choice at a time that’s good for your child. As you understand, some kids are more concentrated early in the day, while others come to life after lunch or an afternoon nap.
Do not check out the eye doctor when your child is worn out, grouchy or starving.
First, select a couple of frame designs for your child with the assistance of an experienced optician. Then provide your child the final option of the glasses he’ll use.
Make the outing a favorable event, talking about how lots of people he understands wear glasses, and how they see much better.
Make certain the frames you choose are fitted effectively for your child and are comfortable. Nobody, especially a child, will use uneasy glasses.
