For kids to be successful in school, they need good vision. Plain and simple. In a single day, kids are reading things on smart boards, in books, and on a computer or other devices with screens. A child’s eyes are constantly in use in the classroom and at play. When your child’s vision is not functioning properly, everything is affected, from their education to their participation in sports and other extracurriculars. You can help prevent further suffering by knowing the signs of poor eyesight and contributing factors.
10 Signs That Your Child May Have Vision Problems
There are many signs that your child may have poor vision. These are some of the most common:
- Short attention span in class and at home
- Frequent eye rubbing or blinking
- They avoid reading, homework, and other activities that strain their eyes
- Squinting, closing, or covering their eyes
- Frequent dizziness, headaches, or nausea
- Losing their place when reading a book and using a finger to guide eyes when reading
- Quickly forgetting what they read
- Consistently sitting too close to the TV and holding reading materials close to their eyes
- Performing below potential
- Seeing double
Since children are so adaptable, they may not realize that they have poor vision. By knowing these signs, you can stay on top of your child’s vision. If you notice any of the above signs, schedule an eye exam to see if they have myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism, which is when the light fails to come to a single point on the retina. These are the most common refractive errors, which are not diseases or an eye health problem, but simply a common problem with how the eye focuses light. Refractive errors prevent the eye from properly focusing light, causing blurred vision.
The Effects of Screen Time On Children’s Vision
We live in a digital world now. Laptops, tablets, and other devices are provided or required for education, starting at younger ages than ever before. There are perks to going digital- homework and paperwork are quickly accessible, quicker to complete, and easier to turn in. Despite all of the perks, there are several major downfalls to going digital regarding your child’s vision.
Children may not be aware of how much time they are spending on devices with screens. Some kids can go hours without interruption when playing video games and other online games. Sitting for hours in front of a computer screen stresses a kid’s eyes because the computer forces the child’s vision system to focus and strain a lot more than any other task. This prolonged activity without breaks can cause accommodative problems, digital eyestrain, and even early myopia (nearsightedness). Other negative symptoms of digital eyestrain are eye discomfort, fatigue, blurred vision, headaches, and dry eyes.
Some research suggests that hours in front of digital screens each day may put children at risk of damaging their retinas later in life. This is because screens emit significant levels of high-energy visible blue light that can have long-term damaging effects on retinal tissue. To avoid damaging digital eye strain, some suggest limiting a kid’s time on sedentary tasks, such as using media devices, up to only two hours a day.
VisionFirst’s Back To School Special
Proper vision is crucial for success in all aspects of your child’s life. When children can’t see well, they will not be able to perform their best in school and in their extracurriculars. By knowing the signs of vision problems and how screen time can worsen the problems, you can assist with their health and be aware of issues with your child’s vision.
If your child shows any of the above signs, schedule an appointment with us today and take advantage of the little time remaining for our Back To School Special. Purchase any frame in stock for your child, and receive the lenses for free. All the lenses are scratch resistant, shatter resistant and include UV protection. As always, our glasses come with a one-year one-time free replacement for breakage. We are also offering a Crizal student package for an additional $50. Crizal helps reduce glare, reduce eye fatigue, and repels water and dust.
We want to partner with you in helping your child succeed. Take advantage of the limited time remaining on this special opportunity to save and help your child see their best in and out of the classroom. Schedule an appointment at one of our 14 different locations throughout Kentuckiana!