Vision problems become increasingly common in the school years, partly due to the fact that kids have the language skills to say that they may be struggling to see the black/whiteboard or read the type in their textbooks or on their tablet.
Visual not behavioural
While Australian figures are hard to come across, according to the US Public Health Association, 25 percent of primary school students are said to have visual problems that are serious enough to need some sort of medical intervention. Australian research in 2008 found that by the time kids are aged between 10 and 14 years, about one in six kids will be wearing glasses or contact lenses to correct sight. Also, more than 411,000 children suffer from long-term eye disorders, in particular long and short-sightedness.
Despite the prevalence, these conditions affecting vision can still be hard to detect and even diagnose and may be written off as other problems like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, migraine disorders, stress or exhaustion. Remember, for kids, they may have been living with a vision issue all their lives and so be totally unaware that there is a problem.
It’s all in the checking
The Eye Foundation, run by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, recommends that children should have their eyes screened by an eye health professional throughout the school years. “This is particularly important if there is a family history of childhood eye or vision problems and/or if there are any signs that their sight has deteriorated,” it says.
“The first eight years of a child’s life are critical for eye development. If problems are not picked up during this time, damage and vision loss can be permanent. If you’re a parent, you should be aware that regular eye checks are just as important to a young child’s overall health and wellbeing as other health checks.” Children born premature are also at a higher risk of vision problems and require checks from an early age.
But there are also problems with your basic eye examinations and screenings during these years as kids can have normal or “20 -20” vision but still have vision problems that may need more intense investigations. US studies have found that up to 11 percent of children who pass a vision screening actually have a vision problem that needs treatment.
Red flags of vision problems
- Sitting close to the TV or holding a book too close
- Squinting
- Tilting their head
- Frequently rubbing their eyes
- Short attention span for the child’s age
- Turning of an eye in or out
- Sensitivity to light
- Difficulty with eye-hand-body coordination when playing ball or bike riding
- Avoiding colouring activities, puzzles and other detailed activities
If you notice any of these signs in your child, see an optometrist who has all the equipment required to test a school-aged children’s vision, or your GP.
