A reliable eye test needs to be performed on children to know that they are growing up to be normal. At the age of six months, your child’s retina is fully developed, and any problems can be spotted before they cause any damage. So, it is necessary to perform a children eye test during the first year of life because that is when most vision problems are detected. Childrens’ eyes are different from adult eyes, so they need different glasses than adults. Optometrists and ophthalmologists use diagnostic tools to evaluate your child’s vision.
When Should You Take Your Kid For A Children Eye Test?
Many eyesight problems can be cured if caught early enough. If you detect any of the following in your child’s eyes, make sure you take your kid for a children eye test without any further delay. Read on to know further.
- Your kids’s eyes frequently seem to be red, appear different than usual, shed more tears than usual, do not line up or move together.
- Your kid complains of eye irritation, wipes their eyes frequently, appears to be light-sensitive.
- Your kid is being unable to see items at a distance, have difficulty reading the blackboard
Why Children Eye Test?
A children eye test is crucial to ensure that your child does not have any vision problems and performs well at school. You may not know, but failing to detect eye problems in children can cause blurred vision. Blurred vision may result from refractive and non-refractive errors. Refractive errors refer to such disorders in the eye, which result from it being unable to focus on the light entering the eyes. Non-refractive errors refer to the eye diseases that cause eye disorders. In such cases, a children eye test is crucial to detect and treat them.
The most common types of refractive errors have been mentioned below:
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Astigmatism-
When your child has this condition, their vision for both near and far objects is blurred. It is caused primarily by the uneven curvature of the cornea or lens.
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Myopia-
It refers to the condition that the child can see what is close but has problems seeing things far away.
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Hyperopia-
It refers to the 3condition in which the child cannot see what is close to but has no problems seeing things far away.
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Lazy eye-
When the vision of one eye is unable to develop as it should, it is called a lazy eye. Children eye test can be used to diagnose lazy eye and then cure it.
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Crossed-eye:
Your child’s eyes may be misaligned- turning inwards (crossed-eyes) or outwards (walleyes). In such cases, a children eye test provides an easy diagnosis of the underlying problem, preventing vision loss.
Non-refractive errors are:
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Cataract:
It involves clouding over the lens of the eye, resulting in interference with the vision. Cataracts in children are mostly congenital. Children eye test involves a physical screening examination which can easily detect Cataracts.
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Glaucoma:
It is a critical eye condition where the nerve connecting the brain with the eye is damaged because of high eye pressure. It may lead to slow vision loss.
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Retinoblastoma:
It refers to a condition where cancer begins in the retina (back of the eye).
Having any of these eye conditions may lead to:
- Lack of concentration
- Poor school results
- Severe headaches and migraines
- Self-image issues
Common ways of children eye tests include:
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LEA Symbols:
Children’s eyesight is tested using symbols. They include apples, circles, houses, and squares.
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Random dot stereopsis:
It uses patterns of dots and 3D glasses for gauging if your child’s eyes are working in perfect coordination or not.
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Retinoscopy:
A beam of light is projected into the eye to check the movement of reflected light coming from the back of the eye.
Conclusion
When children are young, parents are usually worried about their eyesight. Therefore, a children eye test must be done regularly. The first screening should be done when they are 6 months old. If they don’t have vision problems, they should start from ages 5 or 6 and go for eye testing every two years. Early detection and treatment can improve vision, prevent further complications and reduce the risk of loss of sight.
So, what are you waiting for? opt for a children eye test today and save your kids from critical eye-related problems.
