Healthy vision is important for learning and success in school. Approximately 1 in 5 preschool-age children in the U.S., including preschool-age Head Start children, has a vision disorder that requires monitoring and/or treatment by an eye doctor and 1 in 4 school-aged children has a vision problem. Sometimes children have trouble seeing and don’t even realize they are seeing the world differently than others. Children with vision problems may misbehave because it is hard for them to see to learn.
Learn below what to look for as signs of a possible vision problem in your child. If you notice any of the following, schedule a complete eye examination.
Printable ABC handout.
Appearances
- Continually watering eyes
- Red-rimmed, encrusted, or swollen eyelids
- Cloudiness/haze
- Unequal pupil size
- Sties or infections on eyelids
- Presence of white pupil
- Possible eye injury
Behaviors
- Body rigid when looking at distant objects
- Clumsiness or decreased coordination
- Thrusting head forward or backward while looking at distant objects
- Tilting head to one side most of the time
- Squinting or frowning when trying to focus
- Excessive blinking
- Closing or covering one eye while doing near work
- Holding books close to face when reading
- Sitting close to a television
Complaints
- Headaches, nausea, or dizziness
- Blurred or double vision
- Burning, scratchy, or itchy eyes
- Sees blur when looking up after close work or when looking at whiteboard
- Unusual sensitivity to light