It’s common for children to develop vision problems at a young age. While sometimes they have something relatively serious, most often it’s nothing more than nearsightedness or farsightedness. For either one of these, an optometrist fits them with glasses. As a parent, you want to keep your kids safe and healthy. So, it’s important to look for any telltale signs that they’re having trouble seeing.

What’s Myopia?

Myopia is the medical term used to describe nearsightedness. In other words, things up close are easy to see, whereas anything at a distance appears blurry. Among the different kinds of vision problems, it ranks as one of the most common. It affects millions of adults, as well as children.

However, three types of myopia exist. First, low myopia means an individual has less than three diopters of the condition. Second, moderate myopia is when diopters are between three and six. Third, high or severe myopia is for anything over six diopters of the condition.

When it comes to kids, if they’re nearsighted, they’ll likely become even more so with age. However, if they’re properly fitted with prescription eyeglasses, their eyes will probably stabilize by the time they’re in their 20s.

Myopia Signs to Look For

If you suspect that your child is struggling with their vision, pay close attention to these signs. Even if you don’t think there’s an issue, it doesn’t hurt to watch out for them.
 

• Squinting

• Eye strain

• Frequent headaches

• Complaining that they can’t see or read things at a distance, particularly screens and displays at school

However, not every child complains or shows signs of having myopia. That’s why it’s so important to have them seen by a qualified doctor. Preferably, take them to an eye clinic that specializes in treating children. After all, you want them to have a positive experience.

What Causes Myopia?

For your child to see things clearly, light rays have to pass through both the cornea and the lens. After all, these two work together to bend light. As a result, it ends up on the retina, located at the back of the eye. From there, the retina signals the brain, which, in turn, allows them to see.
 

If your child has myopia, the shape of their eyes does not focus light properly. As a result, they see things at a distance as blurry and distorted.
 

If either parent has myopia, there’s a high possibility the child will too. This shows that genetics play a role in some way. Also, excessive time spent indoors may hypothetically increase the risk of myopia in young children due to limited access to natural light. Although you might find that your child has myopia while quite young, most parents don’t discover a problem until ages 8 to 12. If an optometrist diagnoses your child with myopia, it’ll likely worsen as they become a teenager.

How Do Eye Doctors Treat Children with Myopia?

As mentioned, an eye doctor typically prescribes glasses. However, that’s only after doing a thorough eye examination. That consists of having them read letters on an eye chart and using a phoropter to measure the degree of nearsightedness. If your child can’t read yet, the doctor will use a retinoscope, which determines where the light aims.

For an older child, a doctor might offer contact lenses. As your child grows older, they might make a good candidate for surgery, including LASIK.

Make an Appointment Today

Whether or not you notice potential signs of myopia, go ahead and schedule an appointment for your child. Call Dry Eye Center of Alabama and Family Eye Care at 205-490-2322. Everyone at the Homewood, Alabama, clinic will treat your child with the utmost care.