How Do You Know If Your Child Needs Glasses?

We’re all guilty of it… Sometimes we take our vision for granted and forget about its importance in our lives. And being aware of eye health becomes especially important when you’re a parent.

Our Responsibility For Children’s Sight

Even if you don’t have children of your own, you have extended family members, neighbors, friends, and coworkers who have children. Take this opportunity to remind them how important a child’s eyesight is in his or her development. Use the three points below to help guide the conversation.

Three Important Reminders

1. Children Should Have Regular Screenings

• typically, your pediatrician will check your infant’s eyes and answer your questions
• before starting school (between ages 3–5) be sure to have a vision screening
• sometimes elementary schools do screenings, but they’re often ill-equiped to catch things that an eye professional will catch

2. Be Aware Of Early Warning Signs

• watch for unusual amounts of tearing and/or eye redness
• is your child squinting a lot?
• occasionally do you notice “crossed eyes”?
• bad visual tracking (that is, trouble following an object with eyes)
• eye pain or complaints of double vision

3. If Your Child Already Has Glasses, Schedule Annual Exams

• children’s eyes can change rapidly, and that affects prescriptions
• remember the old adage… “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
• your child’s eye health is an important part of his or her whole body health

 Do You Notice Your Child Holding Objects Unusually Close?

This can also be a sign that he or she needs glasses:

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Questions? Please Ask!

Do you have questions or concerns about your child’s vision? Give us a call or bring them in for a visit. Certain eye conditions in children, if caught early, can be reversed. And when vision problems are treated early it can greatly improve a child’s health and quality of life.

Make vision care a priority for the children in your life. Healthy eyesight is so important! And thanks for trusting us with your eye health.