Protect Your Children's Eyes

You want your children's eyes to be as healthy as possible. That's why it is so important to watch out for warning signs that might indicate vision problems.

Common eye conditions that occur in children include: Amblyopia, Strabismus, Infantile Cataract, Conjunctivitis and Dacryocystitis.

Amblyopia: Also known as lazy eye, is the most common vision problem in children. It occurs when one eye sees more clearly than the other. The most common symptoms are favoring one eye, or bumping into things on one side.

Strabismus: This is a crossing or turning of one of the eyes. It isn't the same as lazy eye, but strabismus can cause lazy eye.

Infantile Cataract: This gradual clouding of the eye's lens can occur in newborn babies.

Conjuntivitis: If your child's eyelid looks red or swollen, he or she may have conjuntivitis or pink eye. You might also notice a white, yellow or green discharge from the eye.

Dacryocystitis: This infection, usually caused by blocked tear ducts, can cause teary or watery eyes and redness in the corner of the eye.

More Signs to Watch For:

Some other signs that your child may have a vision problem include:

Rubbing his or her eyes
Sensitivity to light
Squinting
Difficulty focusing or following an object with the eyes
Excessive blinking

Recommended Time Line For Eye Examinations:

Birth to 3 – Vision will be monitored through your child's regular pediatric appointments.

By age three, your child should have a thorough eye examination, which includes a dilated eye exam, to make sure your preschoolers vision is developing properly and that there is no evidence of eye disease.

Here are some tips to make your child's eye examination a positive experience:

Make an appointment early in the day
Talk about the eye exam in advance and encourage your child to ask questions
Explain the eye examination in toddler terms, comparing the E-Chart to a puzzle and the instruments to tiny flashlights.
Explain that dilating drops are similar to opening ones eyes under water, vision might get blurry, the drops might feel cold like the water

Unless told otherwise, your child's next eye examination should be at age 5.

After age 5 an eye examination is recommended yearly.