Vision Problems in Kids

Many parents aren't sure when to have their child's vision screened. Is this something that pediatricians check during routine physicals, or do parents actually need to schedule a visual exam? We asked Dr. Kip Frizzell, a local pediatrician and director of Coordination of Care at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, to give our readers those answers.

"Pediatricians are looking for signs of vision problems with every exam. Parents should be sure to let their doctor know if their child seems to have a squint, head tilt or if they see an eye deviate inward or outward. Formal eye screening can begin as early as age 3. School-aged children can be tested with a Snellen wall chart, and most schools actually perform this screen," said Frizzell.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), middle childhood is a common time for the recognition of vision problems, especially when children first have assigned seats in classrooms. Children may complain of having trouble seeing the blackboard or squints at the pages of a book while reading. He or she may also sit closely to the television in order to see clearly. All of these are signs of vision problems, says the AAP.

The AAP also offers these tips to keep in mind:

• Even though visual difficulties can sometimes cause headaches, this pain is most often associated with problems unrelated to the eyes.
• If your child wears glasses and participates in competitive sports, the glasses should be secured in place by attaching a strap that connects the two earpieces and stretches behind the head. Also, special sports glasses are available.
• Some optometrists recommend eye exercises to help treat learning disorders like dyslexia. However, carefully controlled studies have failed to demonstrate any benefits from these eye exercises?or from wearing colored lenses?to treat these disorders.