Adjusting To Contact Lenses

Vision, in conjunction with hearing, is an extremely important factor for learning. Small children require healthy sight in order to develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. These are the skills that aid a child in things like learning how to build a block tower or catch and throw a ball. Once these skills are mastered, the child moves on to learning to read and write, which sets the foundation for all future learning. Therefore, it is imperative that your pre-schooler is seen by an optometrist to make sure everything is in order. Here are things to watch out for and be aware of when it comes to your child's eyesight.

Signs There May Be A Vision Problem

If your child insists on sitting very close to the television, or even standing right in front of it, this may be an indication their eyesight needs to be checked. When they "read" a book, holding it close up may also be a sign. Some children will be reluctant to do crafts, color in coloring books, or work on their basic skills workbooks if their vision is less than perfect. You may also see them squinting or tilting their head or moving things back and forth, trying to find the right distance that things are most in focus for them.

You may also notice their hand-eye coordination is off. If they consistently struggle with trying to catch or kick a ball, it's time for a check-up. Learning to ride a bicycle is a complex skill for a pre-schooler to learn, requiring coordination and balance, but most get it eventually. If your child seems to be slow to catch on, it could be a sign their vision is impaired. Some children may also show signs of a vision problem with a lazy eye, meaning one or both eye turns inward or outward, independent of the other. This is due to weak eye muscles.

When Should A Child Be Seen By An Optometrist?

When you take your child to the pediatrician for their well-baby check-ups, they will do a brief vision screening, looking for any obvious problems, but this won't catch everything. Whether your child has shown any signs of vision issues or not, it's a good idea to schedule an appointment with an optometrist when they turn three years of age. This will provide a good baseline for the eye doctor for future appointments and identify early any visions issues that could potentially negatively affect their future learning.