Warning Signs of Vision Problems in Infants & Children

Vision problems that are found early on have a higher chance of being treated, so it is important to look out for warning signs because early detection will ensure your child’s vision problem is treated successfully. Eye exams will allow your child’s doctor to identify problems and treat them before they become severe and affect your child’s vision permanently.

The following are warning signs you should look out for at every age:

Babies (up to 1 year of age)

It is common for a baby’s eyes to look misaligned before the four month period; however, if inward crossing or outward drifting occurs after that time, it is an indication that there is a problem, especially if it occurs regularly. If you see either of these signs, you must let your child’s doctor know. Babies older than four months should be able to follow an object with their eyes. They should be able to track a toy or ball as it moves across their field of vision, so if you see that your baby is having difficulty making steady eye contact or feel that they are unable to see, you must contact your child’s doctor right away for a professional assessment.

Preschool

If you notice that your child’s eyes become misaligned during their preschool phase, you must notify their doctor right away. It’s important to remember that not every problem will have obvious or visible side effects, so you must monitor your child’s vision closely to determine if there are any warning signs. Amblyopia, for example, more commonly known as lazy eye, is a condition that does not always display warning signs and in a lot of cases, children will not report any problems. For this reason, you must have your child’s vision checked regularly because special tests can detect problems even before your child notices anything.

Children of any Age

Certain signs are problematic at any age, so if you notice symptoms like eye pain, itchiness, white pupils or discomfort expressed by your child, you must let your child’s doctor know immediately. The same is true if you notice eyes that flutter quickly from side to side or up or down, redness in their eyes that does not go away or pus in either eye. Eyes that are always watery and have droopy eyelids, eyes that are overly sensitive to light and eyes that are misaligned are also problematic, so make sure to book an appointment with your child’s doctor right away if you notice any of these signs.

Blink Vision Care is a reputable eye clinic in Brampton that can help with all of your vision needs. Whether you need eyeglasses, contact lenses or anything else vision related, we can help, so give us a call today!