What Are The Most Common Children’s Vision Problems?

Vision is a huge part of learning so it’s essential to ensure your child’s vision is the best it can be, especially with exams coming up. There are a number of common children’s eye problems that can affect their vision but it’s not always easy to know when something is bothering them. Our guide explains some children’s vision problems, how to spot them and how they can be treated.

Short-Sightedness

Known medically as myopia, short-sightedness is becoming increasingly common in children. As the term short-sightedness suggests, myopia is when you have trouble focusing on things in the distance. It’s thought that up to 1 in 3 people in the UK suffer from myopia, with a child having a greater chance of becoming myopic if one or both parents are.

It’s important to treat myopia early because if it becomes severe it can increase the risk of further eye problems later in life. Signs of myopia to look out for include difficulties reading in class, needing to sit closer to the TV, and suffering from headaches and eye strain.

Treatment for myopia is usually wearing glasses or contact lenses to correct the problem, but there are also solutions that can slow down the progression, reducing the risk of moving to a high prescription.

Long-Sightedness

Also called hyperopia, long-sightedness is where close-up objects appear blurred. It may not be easy to spot so look out for your child over-focusing on books and schoolwork, showing signs of eye strain and complaining of headaches.

Hyperopia is treated with glasses or contact lenses and it’s important for your child to wear them, otherwise, it can lead to squinting or a lazy eye.

Strabismus and Amblyopia

Strabismus is another word for a squint, and amblyopia is commonly known as a lazy eye. Both happen when the eyes can’t work together properly, causing one eye to weaken. They can be treated using an eye patch or wearing glasses, and it’s important for the problem to be treated early so it doesn’t become a lasting issue.

Book Your Child’s Eye Exam

If you think your child is having vision problems, contact us to book them in for an eye exam at our optometrist in Liverpool. It’s important for children to have regular eye tests every year.