When to check children’s eyesight

About a 25% of children have some visual problem and, in a third of the cases, vision problems are responsible for the. In recent years, the increased use of screens to work and play has been more demanding visual, and this has had repercussions. The refractory disorders have increased in recent years, such as myopia in the case of children. But the cause is not exclusively due to the hours of screen, but also to the lack of time outdoors and exposure to natural light.

What role does sight play in the development of the child?

Vision is one of the fundamental senses when carrying out learning during childhood. Vision is key to acquiring the literacy, the psychomotor and the eye-hand coordination.

Since we are born, sight plays a very important role and contributes to the baby have a correct process of development, knowledge of the environment, learning and social relationships. The same happens when the child begins the school stage, since their sight contributes to their good school performance. If they do not see well the blackboard, the books, the teacher ... the performance of their day-to-day tasks and doing their homework will be affected.

But it is also important when it comes to playing sports, interacting with colleagues and any other leisure activity. Through sight, children can follow the coach's instructions and acquire motor skills to function successfully in physical activities, interact with their peers and perceive the game scheme or the team's strategy.

When is the first revision to be done?

Sometimes when we decide to take the child to the eye doctor it is because he himself has complained of vision problems. However, the first visit to the ophthalmologist child should be performed at 6 months old. If all is well, it should be repeated to the 3 years which is when schooling begins. And from that moment, we can establish the routine of taking the child to the eye doctor Once a year. We must not wait for the problem to arise, but we must anticipate going to a review with the

This review includes conducting a clinic history that collects the family ophthalmological history and is completed with a eye examination by dilating the pupil. Although it is a somewhat annoying test, it is worth it because it provides a lot of information and allows identify pathologies that might otherwise be overlooked as refractive problems and less obvious alterations such as strabismus or lazy eye.

How do you know if your child has vision problems?

Something that can happen is that the child do not complain that it sees bad. This can happen for two reasons, because be very small to let us know or because if you have always had a visual problem, you are not aware that you can see badly or that you could see better. For this reason, observation is very important. Sometimes it is the teacher who alerts the parents that the child does not see the blackboard well at school. But parents can also watch out for certain behaviors to help them suspect if their child suffers from vision problems. How can we detect it?

• Encloses the eyes when you have to look from a distance or fix your eyes on something like the blackboard or the television.
• Does not focus the gaze in what is pointed out.
• He has headache or complains that you see double or blurry or that lines or letters are distorted or moved. These symptoms appear at the end of the school day or after doing homework.
• Approaches much to the book or notebook to read or write.
• Reading or writing too slowly For what would be normal at his age or skipping lines when reading are also a sign of alarm.
• Sits very close to the television to see it well.
• Does not participate in sports activities that require visual acuity or aim.
• Reading comprehension is too short.
• Covers or winks to see better.
• Has photophobia (harsh light bothers him) or has trouble adjusting to seeing in dark environments.
• Frown to read or follow the line of what you are reading with your finger.
• They irritate you or his eyes water. It blinks too often.
• Stumbles easily, has poor aim or receives frequent balls or blows in Physical Education class or playing in the playground.
• Tilt the head to look at an object.

• Approximately 25% of children have a visual problem and, in a third of cases, they are responsible for a possible school failure.
• It is important to go to the children's ophthalmologist. School reviews can give a clue to general visual problems (myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism), but they can miss eye pathologies, refractive problems and other less obvious visual disturbances such as lazy eye.
• Complaining of headaches often, seeing double or blurred, especially at the end of the school day or after doing homework, are symptoms that should alert parents.

Pediatric Specialist