Not Kidding Around: Spotting Problems With Your Child's Vision
Your children are just starting to develop, and in many cases, their bodies are going to continue to change. Some natural changes may occur to their eyesight, but other problems can also develop. Here are three things you should be on the lookout for; if you see them, it may be time to see the local ophthalmologist.
Unusual Pupils
Pupils, the black center of the eye, tend to look red in a photo. This common phenomenon is known as red eye, and most people have experienced it. If you've noticed that your child's eyes go white instead, though, there may be a serious problem.
A white pupil in a photo can mean that your child has a cataract developing or could even be a sign of cancer in the eye. It's also possible that they eyes simply focus differently, but this is also potentially dangerous to your child's vision and should be evaluated.
A Focus on Close-Up Reading
It's very normal for children to read with books on their laps or watching TV from a few feet away. What isn't normal is if a child is holding his or her toys close to the face or is moving books within inches of the face.
If your child seems to get too close to the TV or reads with his nose literally in the book, there could be a problem. It's possible that your child is nearsighted and needs glasses to correct his vision, but there are other possible causes as well. A pediatric ophthalmologist will be able to investigate.
Cross-Eyed Vision
Another thing you can recognize is if your child is cross-eyed. It's normal for a baby to go cross-eyed for a few months, since the eyes are still developing. However, if it's a toddler suffering from this problem, then you should take your child to the ophthalmologist.
Strabismus, know as misaligned eyes or cross eyes, happens when the eyes are misaligned. It can come and go or be constant, but it will persist. Also known as a wandering eye, this condition may cause one eye to focus while the other rotates away.
Strabismus can lead to the loss of vision through amblyopia, which is the loss of perfect vision in a healthy eye. This happens due to the brain ignoring the images in the wandering eye.
The good news is that this is a correctable condition in most cases.
These are a few of the potential eye problems your children could suffer; it's important to talk to your ophthalmologist about any concerns you have. (For more information, contact California Eye Specialists Medical Group Inc. or another practice)
