Eye Symptoms Parents need to Open their Eyes to

Eyes are the most sensitive parts in our child’s body. Babies are totally dependent upon us, their parents. They cannot tell us that their vision is not clear or that they have difficulty in focussing upon things. But you as a parent will be able to figure it out. Older children can communicate better. But then again, you need to be vigilant. Be sensitive to warning signs and symptoms like sitting close to the TV or finding it difficult to read, even squinting or rubbing the eyes always. Vision problems in children become obvious between approximately 1.5 and 4 years of age. Problems that are identified early have a greater possibility of being treated successfully. Moreover, children who suffer from vision problems tend to have issues with progress at school.

There are other symptoms as well:

• Babies tend to crawl incorrectly, frequently bumping into walls or furniture.
• Tearing- This can happen in babies whose tear ducts are blocked. The eyes are filled with tears and mucus starts to form in the eyes.
• Swelling or a painless bump on the eyelid may form due to a blocked oil gland.
• Redness
• Sensitivity to light, pain in the eyes, bulging or enlarged eyes- This implies that the pressure inside the eye is way too high. If not treated in time, it can cause blindness.
• Droopy eyelids-In this situation, the eyelid is not open completely. This is due to weak eye muscles. This can lead to poor vision development.
• Far sightedness- This causes difficulty in seeing objects that are close. But babies and children tend to normally have a small proportion of far sightedness.
• White, yellow greyish material in the pupil- This might hint at an eye infection.
• Difficulty in following objects and poor focusing-This also leads to reduced vision.
• Near sightedness occurs when the child is unable to see objects that are far away. This is predominantly found in school going children.
• Conjunctivitis or red eye is a common eye infection. The eyes are watery, itchy and the child feels uncomfortable.
• Abnormal or excessive eye movement
• Frequent headaches.

If any of these symptoms surface or your child’s eyes seem to look different, do get their vision tested.

A few points that need to be kept in mind are that up to about 3 months, our baby’s eyes tend to appear a little misaligned; there might be a little squint. Once they turn about 3 months old, they should be able to follow objects, like toys, successfully with their eyes, as it moves from one side to the other. Our baby should be able to establish eye contact and should be able to see clearly. If you sense any problem, whatsoever, visit your baby’s paediatric ophthalmologist. Remember the old adage, “a stitch in time saves nine”.

So parents, stay informed, be careful. Follow your child’s ophthalmologist’s advice, always. Avoid being casual about it. Moreover

, healthy food habits, appropriate physical activity and the requisite amount of sleep ensure that our children are healthy, head to toe.

Happy seeing ☺