Mrs Anita Banerjee had begun noticing that for several weeks now her 7-year old son was sitting too close to the TV. Her repeated scolding changed nothing and just as she was beginning to get frustrated, one day she noticed him holding a book too close to his eyes. She realised something is not right. She observed her son for a few more days only to find him struggling to do activities that needed near vision. She finally took him to Disha Eye Hospital Teghoria VIP Road. The eye doctor confirmed that her son indeed needed eyeglasses.
Children often find it difficult to articulate the exact difficulty they are facing, and many parents like Mrs Banerjee do not realise that just like an adult a child also needs an annual eye examination. Even though several parents make the effort to visit their paediatrician regularly, they fail to realise that visiting a paediatrician for a general checkup is not the same as visiting an eye specialist. Be it reading, writing or playing games, a child needs good eyesight to succeed and feel confident. It is, therefore, important to get your child’s eyes checked by an eye doctor regularly.
Here’s a useful guide that will help you understand better whether your kid has an eye problem or not
- Infants
The first couple of years are the most crucial in ensuring that your baby faces least vision problems as they grow. Babies are not born with all the visual abilities and they develop them as they grow older.
For the first few months of their life, they do not have very good vision. They are more sensitive to bolder colours like black and white. By the time they are 5 to 6 months, they should be able to focus their eyes on particular objects. They should also be able to track moving objects. Usually, infants are born with healthy vision but sometimes there can be problems. Till your baby turns one, he or she should be routinely screened for eye health during checkups with the paediatrician. Infants born premature and those with a family history of eye problems should get their eyes examined by a specialist. .
Some of the common symptoms of eye problems can be:
- Misaligned eyes
- White glimmer in the eyes (this can be spotted in photos)
- Watery eyes
- Drooping eyelids
- Eyes not following you around in the room
- Not tracking moving objects
- 2 to 5 years
As children start going to school, they face increasing demands on their visual abilities. It is best to have your child’s vision tested before they start kindergarten or preschool. This is all the more important if the child’s siblings have vision issues. Common symptoms of eye problems:
- Sitting close to the TV or holding a book too close
- Squinting
- Covering an eye
- Frequently rubbing their eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Poor eye-hand coordination
- Avoiding colouring activities and detailed activities
Even if no serious problems are identified in the child’s eyes at this stage, kids should have eye exams at least once every two years going forward. With increasing screen time, early exposure of children to mobiles, laptops and television, it is important that parents notice the small signs and act towards preventive care of their child’s eyes.
If you think your child is facing any of the above-mentioned problems, consult the eye doctors at Disha Eye Hospitals and seek the best eye treatment in Kolkata. Students with eye problems often struggle with learning. Regular eye checkup will give your child a better chance at treatment. The hospital has a dedicated paediatric unit that deals with eye diseases, vision care and visual development of children.