What You Need To Know About Children's Eye Problems: How To Keep Your Kids' Eyes Healthy

Children's eye care is important for permanent vision development and future eye health. Research indicates that children should receive a comprehensive eye exam before starting kindergarten, as well as before entering school and after age three. Getting your child's eyes tested is the simplest way to ensure that they get the correct treatment and see a specialist if needed. Here is some more information that you want to know to keep your children's eyes healthy:

Early Visual Development

The eyes are not fully developed when a baby is born. Once they are a few months old, babies begin to focus on objects and move their eyes more frequently. By one year of age, most babies will be able to track objects with their eyes as they are moved back and forth by an adult in front of their face.

Signs of Vision Problems

A child with vision problems may have difficulty reading, recognizing colors and shapes, or seeing things that are close up. He or she might also have trouble distinguishing between red and green. Other signs can include:

• Squinting at books or other objects
• Covering one eye when reading or looking at something closely
• Frequent headaches
• A lazy eye (turning in)
• Difficulty following an object visually
• Problems judging distance accurately

These are some of the signs of eyesight problems that you may notice with your child. 

Eye Tests for Children

Eye tests for children are an important part of maintaining your child's eye health. An eye test can detect any abnormalities in the development of your child's eyesight or any other issues with their eyes.

Children's eyes develop differently from adults' eyes, so it is important to understand how their vision develops so you know when it is time for an eye test for children. Eye tests for children are usually done at school or by your family doctor or pediatrician.

Common Eye Conditions in Children

Children's eyes are also more prone to common conditions like nearsightedness and farsightedness. It's important to know the signs of these conditions so you can seek treatment as soon as possible.

In children, common eye conditions include:

• Strabismus (misaligned eyes)
• Myopia (nearsightedness)
• Hyperopia (farsightedness)
• Amblyopia (lazy eye)

These are some of the conditions that a pediatric eye care professional may test for in your child. 

Even very young children should have regular eye exams. Contact a pediatric eye care service for more info. 

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