WARNING SIGNS: VISION PROBLEMS

VISION PROBLEMS

As babies develop, they should hit certain ‘milestones’ in development.

Most baby’s eyes, before 4 months, occasionally look misaligned. However, after 4 months of age, inward crossing or outward drifting that occurs regularly, is usually abnormal. If one of these is present, let your child’s doctor know.

Babies older than 3 months should be able to follow or “track” an object, like a toy or ball, with their eyes as it moves across their field of vision. If your baby can’t make steady eye contact by this time or seems unable to see, let your child’s doctor know immediately.

By preschool age, if you notice the child’s eyes become misaligned, let your child’s doctor know right away. However, vision problems such as a “lazy eye” may have no warning signs, and your child may not complain of vision problems. Therefore, it’s important at this time to have your child’s vision checked. There are special tests to check your child’s vision even if he or she cannot read yet.

Here are some warning signs to look for:

If you notice any one of the following, please let your child’s doctor know immediately:

• Eyes that are misaligned (look crossed, turn out, or don’t focus together)

• White or grayish-white color in the pupil

• Eyes that flutter quickly from side to side or up and down

• Bulging eye(s)

• Child often complains of eye pain, itchiness, or discomfort

• Redness in either eye that doesn’t go away in a few days

• Pus or crust in either eye

• Eyes that are always watery

• Drooping eyelid(s)

• Child rubs or squints eyes often

• Eyes that are always sensitive to light

• Any change in the eyes from how they usually look

• Have a short attention span

• Struggle with or avoid reading and other up-close activities

• Get frequent headaches

• Often cover one eye

• Tilt their head to one side

• Hold their reading materials close to their eyes

• Often lose their place while reading

• Have difficulty remembering what they just read

Getting your child diagnosed and treatment as soon as possible is very important. If the child goes undiagnosed, they could struggle with many learning problems.

RESOURCES

Blind Children’s Fund
New Hartford Eye Associates

Disclaimer
This information is for general purposes only and should not be construed as a substituted for professional advice from your health professional. We do not support self-diagnosis based on any information found in this fact sheet. We are not responsible for any self-diagnosis made by a reader based on information found in this fact sheet. It is merely meant to be an informational tool to present warning signs that should be brought to the attention of a medical doctor.