A Checklist for Children Ages 2 to 51
Make sure you and your family are living with the best vision possible. From age two to five, this is the time when parents need to be alert for the presence of vision problems. Children rarely speak up about not being able to see or if they have a problem with their eyesight. That’s why it is so important to watch out for certain behaviors or signs that could indicate your child has a vision problem.
Use this checklist to have the right discussion with your child about how well they see and to help maintain their eye health during this stage in life.
- Sitting too close to the TV
- Holding a book too closely while reading
- Squinting
- Tilting their head
- Frequently rubbing their eyes
- Short attention span
- The turning of an eye in or out (crossed eyes, also known as strabismus)
- An eye that wanders, or eyes that may not appear to work together (lazy eye, also known as amblyopia)
- Poor depth perception
- Sensitivity to light
- A delay in development, such as difficulty with recognition of colors, shapes, letters and numbers
- Difficulty with eye-and-body coordination when playing or riding a bike
- The avoidance of coloring activities, puzzles or other detailed activities
Did you know?
When children are between the ages of 1 and 12, 80% of their learning occurs through the eyes?2
It’s recommended that children have an eye examination at least once every two years, or more frequently, if specific problems or risk factors exist, or if recommended by your ECP. The longer a vision problem goes undiagnosed and untreated, the more a child’s brain learns to accommodate the vision problem.
References
- American Optometric Association. Preschool Vision: 2 to 5 Years of Age. [Accessed June 26, 2014]
- Kids Vision for Life. Eye Opening Facts. [Accessed June 26, 2014]
