August is Children’s Vision and Learning Month
Clear vision is essential for your child’s physical development, overall well-being, and academic success. Sadly, one in four children face challenges with reading and learning due to undiagnosed vision issues. Common vision problems seen in almost 20 percent of children:
- Refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.
- Crossed eyes (strabismus) happen when one or both eyes turn inward, outward, up, or down.
- Lazy eye (amblyopia) happens when the brain favors one eye over the other.
Vision problems are often mistaken for learning difficulties. Many vision problems go undetected because kids don’t always realize they’re struggling to see. Signs your child might have a vision problem:
- Frequently losing their place when reading
- No interest in activities that require eye use
- Turning their head to look at things in front of them
- Squinting when looking at things near or far
- Poor reading ability and comprehension
- Headaches or unusual fatigue while performing tasks
- Tilting their head or rubbing their eyes
Ensure your child is set up for success this school year by scheduling an eye exam with a trusted doctor.