28 Mar 5 Signs Of Myopia In Children
Myopia is described as nearsightedness. If you can see objects close-by, but cannot see distant objects, then you might be suffering from myopia. While you might recognize signs and symptoms of myopia in yourself, you might miss similar signs in children. To learn about 5 signs of myopia in children, read our blog below.
1. Squinting Or Rubbing Eyes
The most obvious signs of myopia in children are squinting or rubbing eyes. As squinting helps to temporarily clear up vision for objects in the distance, it is a clear sign that your child might be suffering from myopia. Sometimes teachers are better able to recognize this symptom, as students might squint when trying to view the words on the board. Rubbing eyes is a similar symptom of myopia. Children will usually rub their eyes when their eyes feel strained or fatigued. It is also a response to nearsightedness, since rubbing eyes will help your child’s eyes focus better.
2. Sitting Close To The Television
If your child loves to watch television, make sure to pay close attention to their behaviours while looking at the television screen. If your child opts out of sitting on the chairs or couches that are placed in front of the TV screen, so that they could sit closer to the TV, your child might be showing signs of myopia. The next time you notice your child moving closer to the screen make sure to ask them if sitting far away made the images blurry.
3. Headaches From Eyestrain
Eyestrain causes headaches in any individual. Because of this, headaches are even more common for people with undiagnosed myopia, as people will often strain their eyes to view an object in the distance. If your child has complained to you about experiencing headaches, and you can rule out other factors, it is highly likely that their uncorrected vision is causing this.
4. Bringing Objects Close To Face
Another telltale sign of myopia in children is when they bring objects close to their faces, so that they can see them better. If your child reads books or plays games on a tablet, this sign might become more apparent. The key to identifying this sign in your children is to be an observant parent or guardian. The next time your child pulls out a book or tablet, make sure to observe their behaviours closely.
5. Covering Up One Eye
The last common sign that might indicate the presence of myopia in children is if they have begun to cover up one eye to view a distant object. Covering up one’s eye is a technique that is used by many people to overcome blurry vision. Additionally, for children with myopia, they might be more nearsighted in one eye than the other, so covering up one eye might help improve their vision in the weaker eye.
When it comes to identifying signs of myopia in children, being observant is the most important step! If you have noticed that your child is squinting, rubbing eyes, or sitting closer to the television, booking an appointment with an optometrist is the next step to finding out if your child suffers from myopia. To book an appointment at Dr D’Orio Eyecare, visit https://drdorioeyecare.com/book-appointment/ or call us at 416-656-2020 for our Toronto location, or 416-661-5555 for our North York location.
