By: Melinda Chang, MD, FAAP
Vision screenings by your pediatrician are an important way to identify problems with your child's eyesight. Problems that are found early have a better chance of being treated successfully.
What are some warning signs of a vision problem?
If you notice these symptoms in your child, be sure to mention them to their doctor.
Babies up to 1 year of age:
By 3 months old. By about this age, babies should be able to follow or track a moving object, like a toy or ball, with their eyes. If your baby can't make steady eye contact by this time or seems unable to see, let your child's doctor know.
(See "Infant Vision Development: What Can Babies See?" )
After 4 months of age. Most newborns' eyes occasionally look misaligned (strabismus). However, after 4 months, inward crossing or outward drifting that occurs regularly typically is not normal. If you notice this still happens a lot, let your child's doctor know.
Preschool age children:
If your child's eyes become misaligned, let your child's doctor know right away. However, vision problems such as a
lazy eye (amblyopia) may have no warning signs, and your child may not report vision problems. That's why it's important at this time to have your child's vision checked. There are special tests to check your child's vision even if they cannot yet
read.
All children:
If you notice any of the following signs or symptoms, let your child's doctor know:
Eyes that are misaligned (look crossed, turn out, or don't focus together)
White or grayish white color in the pupil
Eyes that flutter quickly from side to side or up and down
Eye pain, itchiness, or discomfort your child mentions
Redness in either eye that doesn't go away in a few days
Pus or crust in either eye
Eyes that are always watery
Drooping
eyelids
Eyes that often appear overly sensitive to light
What is cerebral or cortical visual impairment?
Sometimes, vision problems are caused by problems with the eye. But with cerebral/cortical visual impairment (CVI), vision problems happen because the brain has trouble processing visual information—even though the eyes may be healthy.
Children with CVI may have trouble recognizing faces, or example, or struggle to find objects in a cluttered setting. Or, they may see better out of the corner of their eyes rather than straight ahead; they may turn their head to look at something.
CVI can be the result of any injury or damage to the visual pathways in the brain. Common causes include infection, lack of oxygen, prematurity and certain genetic conditions. Early interventions and specialized therapies can help the affected child adapt to visual processing challenges that occur in CVI.
Remember
Reach out to your child's doctor if you have any concerns about their vision or any aspect of their health.
More information
About Dr. Chang
Melinda Chang, MD, FAAP, is a pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at the University of Southern California. Dr. Chang is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Ophthalmology.
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