Children's Vision

 

 

Children need annual eye examinations. Eye examinations help diagnose any problems early and helps your child in school. A list of common conditions is below. Also see "Children's Vision Problems" for additional clues of vision deficiency.

 

Amblyopia

An eye that does not see clearly even though it has no disease and has corrective lenses in front of it, is said to be "lazy" or amblyopic. Amblyopia occurs mainly among children who have a different amount of far sightedness or nearsightedness in one eye than in the other or who have one eye directed away from the object seen by the other eye (strabismus).

Strabismus (Squint)

Strabismus exists when one eye does not aim directly at an object of interest to which the other eye is aimed.

Color Deficiency ("Color Blindness")

Children with so-called "color blindness" are not blind to color but have difficulty distinguishing between certain colors.

Hyperopia (Farsightedness)

In this condition, the eyeball is too short for the normal focusing power of the eye. Therefore, images of near objects may appear blurred.

Myopia (Nearsightedness)

In myopia, the eyeball is too long for the normal focusing power of the eye. As a result, images of distant objects appear blurred.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism results primarily from an irregularly shape of the front surface of the cornea, the transparent "window" at the front of the eye. Persons with astigmatism typically see vertical lines clearer than horizontal ones, sometimes in reverse.

What are some specific reasons that children and teens need bifocals?

Bifocals are prescribed for younger person to correct poor visual acuity (clarity of vision) at various distances. A common use is for nearsighted persons who need a stronger prescription to see clearly in the distance than up close. They are sometimes recommended to reduce the amount of stress placed on the eyes during close work to try to prevent the development or the further progression of nearsightedness. They may also be prescribed to help a child learn to focus and aim the eyes correctly. Some children may exhibit symptoms of strabismus (crossed-eyes) when looking at very close objects. In this instance, bifocals may be used to help the eyes learn to aim correctly.