{"id":3576,"date":"2023-08-21T16:32:31","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T21:32:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/?p=3576"},"modified":"2023-09-26T17:15:15","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T22:15:15","slug":"signs-your-child-needs-glasses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/signs-your-child-needs-glasses\/","title":{"rendered":"Signs Your Child Needs Glasses"},"content":{"rendered":"

Scheduling an eye exam with a family optometrist is the only way to know for sure whether a child needs glasses. The American Optometric Association (<\/span>AOA<\/span><\/a>) recommends children have their eyes examined at least once between the ages of three and five years old; once they start school, children should have a complete eye exam once a year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your Child Needs Glasses If\u2026<\/span><\/h2>\n

Children are highly adaptable, so they adjust to their lack of - or declining - vision better than adults do. This is why an <\/span>annual, back-to-school eye exam<\/span><\/a> is the most proactive way to support your children\u2019s vision health.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rather than verbalizing that things are blurry or they can\u2019t see as clearly as they used to, they typically show signs of needing glasses via body language and other cues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some of the most common signs a child strains to focus.<\/span><\/p>\n

They squint\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Is your child squinting - even when indoors or out of <\/span>direct sunlight<\/span><\/a>? Squinting is a sure sign the eyes are working harder than they need to as they try to bring things into focus. If they squint when they\u2019re reading, they are probably farsighted. This is very common for younger children, and reading glasses do the trick. Some children actually grow out of it as their eye muscles and coordination grow stronger with age.<\/span><\/p>\n

If they\u2019re squinting to read the whiteboard at school, while watching TV, or when you\u2019re driving in the car, they may be nearsighted. A child who squints often may have astigmatism (everything is blurred) or another condition causing vision loss.<\/span><\/p>\n

They wink or cock their head to the side<\/span><\/h3>\n

We see this sign most often in younger children - toddlers and preschool age. Winking or cocking the head to the side to see properly indicates that one eye is stronger than the other. This might be a sign of <\/span>a lazy eye<\/span><\/a> or crossed eyes, which are almost always treatable while the child is still young.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Needing things to be \u201ctoo close\u201d to see them<\/span><\/h3>\n

Most of us grew up hearing that sitting too close to the TV damages the eyes. This is a myth, but it is definitely a sign that a person may need glasses. If you notice your child holds books really close to their face while reading, or they need to be closer than usual to a tablet or TV screen to see, they should have their vision checked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Frequent headaches<\/span><\/h3>\n

Headaches are a sign of eye strain and should be evaluated immediately. Sometimes, <\/span>eye strain<\/span><\/a> is simply a sign that someone isn\u2019t taking adequate screen breaks or is reading in low lighting. However, it could also mean the person requires prescription lenses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Children may not know the term headache or how to verbalize what they\u2019re feeling, so they may also say things like:<\/span><\/p>\n