Eye problems in your child

There tends to be a perception that eye problems bother the old and those who are stuck on their computer screens most of the day. That is far from the truth.

Children can also suffer from problems with their eyesight. A study done by the World Health Organisations shows that approximately 19 million children worldwide have vision problems. Of those almost 12 million could have had their eye conditions corrected if they had regular eye examinations.

“By the time a parent usually notices that their child has a visual problem, the child’s visual acuity has reduced by more than 60%,” warns optometrist Andre Horn.

Vision problems in children

As parent, you need to worry about your child’s eyesight if they:

• Regularly holding their head at an angle
• Squinting
• Avoid light or failure to respond to light
• Obsessively rubbing their eyes with his fingers and grimacing
• Turning the eyes without focusing on anything
• Grasping for objects and missing them
• Strabismus, commonly known as “cross-eyes”, is when the eyes are turned or when the eyes have different prescriptions. A “lazy eye” can develop from this if your child favours the eye that provides clear images and neglects the other, meaning the neglected eye fails to develop its vision acuity. You should consult an optometrist should your child present any of these problems.

Serious childhood eye conditions to watch out for:

There are many conditions that affect children and the sooner you notice that there is something wrong, the quicker you must take action.

• Strabismus

When your child’s eyes are crossed or what people usually call squinted. it is important that the optometrist examines the problem and the eyes’ ability to function together.

• Amblyopia

Usually a result of strabismus, amblyopia occurs when the eyes are turned or when the eyes have different prescriptions. The brain “shuts off” the image from the turned or blurry eye. Take your child to an optometrist who will prescribe the correct treatment.

• Far-sightedness (hyperopia)

When reading or writing your child may get tired quickly because they can’t focus on things that are up close. They can easily recognise far-away objects. Far-sightedness leads to headaches, red eyes, inability to concentrate and restlessness. The condition can, however, improve as your child gets older.

• Near-sightedness (myopia)

Children who are near-sighted tend to struggle with focusing on objects that are far away and squint to see things in the distance. They engage better with things that are close. Near-sightedness is a result of the changed shape of the eye, leading to your child’s inability to focus on distant objects.

• Astigmatism

This is the irregular curvature of the cornea (the outside, dome-shaped surface of the eye). Depending on the severity of the irregularity, objects may appear blurry, distorted and slanted.

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)

Usually caused by a bacterial and contagious infection or an allergic reaction, conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the white outer surface of the eye and inner lining of the eyelids. The eye appears red or pink hence it’s called a pink eye. It also becomes itchy and irritated and discharge appears in both eyes.