Kids need excellent vision to complete various aspects of their young lives, especially learning. If they can’t see very well, it hinders their concentration, which negatively impacts their learning. That’s why it’s critical to recognize early signs of vision problems in children.

At Cascade Eyecare in Bend, OR, we offer pediatric eye care services to diagnose and treat various vision issues in children. We make going to the eye doctor both easy and comfortable for your child.

Signs of Vision Problems in Kids

It may be hard to tell whether or not your child is experiencing vision problems, especially at a young age. There are a few key symptoms you can look for at home before visiting an eye doctor.

Itchy Eyes

When exposed to wind and dust, your child’s eyes may experience some itchiness due to irritation. However, this itchiness usually goes away within a few hours. Excessive itching that doesn’t go away after a few days may be a sign of an underlying vision problem. This could be from allergies or other serious issues. Get your child an eye check-up with our optometrist right away. This could prevent severe eye issues that may be hard to treat if left unaddressed.

Red/Pink Eyes

Eye redness from irritation typically goes away within a few days. However, if your kid has red eyes for a week or longer, this could be serious. Redness may be a result of excessive eye rubbing, or it could be from other problems like conjunctivitis, blepharitis, or more. A thorough check-up with our optometrist is the only way to know for sure.

Squinting

Squinting mostly results from refractive errors. This means your eye does not bend light correctly, which causes blurry vision. When your child squints, he or she may be trying to see an object more clearly. If you notice that you notice your kid has been squinting for a while, or if your child is sitting closer to the T.V., it’s a sign of a problem. This could be a symptom of myopia, or nearsightedness. This vision problem makes close-range objects clear and far objects blurry.

Other signs of vision problems in kids are:

• Headaches
• Eye pain
• Loss of concentration
• Head tilting
• Light sensitivity
• Irritation when trying to see something

Visit Our Optometrist

The earlier your catch a problem with your child’s vision, the easier it is to avoid long-term damage. If you are unsure about your child’s symptoms, visit our optometrist right away. At Cascade Eyecare in Bend, OR, our team can help with any pediatric eye care needs. Call us today to schedule an appointment.