Are you pondering how to tell if your toddler needs glasses?
Some kids are born with vision problems, while others develop them later as they come of age.
Unfortunately, since babies can’t fend for themselves and tell us that they have vision problems from an early stage, it’s paramount for parents to be on the lookout and identify vision issues at the earliest possible moment.
But, again, sadly, it’s pretty challenging to know if your little one’s eyes are functioning correctly.
The good news is there are several practical tips to recognize if your child struggles with poor eyesight and, significantly, signs that they may need visual assistance.
Also read a related post: How To Tell If Your Baby Is Blind
How to Tell if Your Toddler Needs Glasses
As already outlined, eye and vision problems in babies can cause developmental delays and can adversely impact their performance in and out of the classroom.
Therefore, all parents and caregivers need to spot the signs that their toddler might need glasses. The most obvious and practical signs are:
1. Squinting or Closing One Eye
Squinting helps improve focus. If you notice your little angel often squinting, they might have difficulty seeing.
As a result, they will temporarily squint to enhance an object’s focus and clarity.
Moreover, squinting might indicate your toddler has a refractive error and amblyopia, a disorder associated with eye alignment.
In addition, if your toddler tends to cover an eye every time they need to focus on something, they might be having astigmatisms.
Also, closing one eye might signify exotropia, sensitivity to bright light.
2. Sitting Too Close to The Television
Sitting too close to the television or holding books and other handheld devices close to the eyes indicates that your toddler is nearsighted or has myopia.
Bringing objects closer to the eyes shows that your baby is trying to enlarge the words or images for a clearer view.
The opposite might also be a problem with farsightedness.
3. Frequent Eye Rubbing
Excessive eye rubbing is a sign of different eye issues such as allergic conjunctivitis and vision problems.
Also, toddlers who extensively strain their eyes develop eye fatigue and frequently rub their eyes to see better.
4. Frequent Headaches, Eye Pain and Nausea
As a result of the extra effort to bring close objects into focus and eye strain due to farsightedness, your child might experience frequent headaches, temporary pain in the eye, and sometimes nausea.
So, if your toddler often complains of headaches and eye pain, they might be having vision problems.
5. Watch For Other Symptoms
As already outlined, there are several signs on how to tell if your toddler needs glasses. Parental questions has pinpointed in detail the most apparent signs. However, children are different and might respond to vision problems differently. Other pointers to be on the lookout for include:
- Clumsiness.
- Struggling or losing pace while reading.
- Difficulty concentrating on school work.
- Tilting the head to look at objects.
Taking The Next Steps
First and foremost, if you suspect that your toddler has vision problems and might need visual assistance, you should schedule an appointment with an optometrist.
Then, they will have an eye exam, and the optometrist can diagnose the issue and recommend a suitable approach.
If glasses are the only solution, your toddler will get fitted for glasses.
Always ensure your toddler wears glasses all the time, except while sleeping, bathing, or as instructed by the healthcare expert.
Glasses are beneficial since they improve your toddler’s vision, enabling them to perform better in their environment.
Also, glasses help straighten crossed or misaligned eyes and sharpen vision. Finally, glasses enhance the vision of weak or amblyopic eyes.
But, most importantly, don’t offer your kid glasses if they don’t need them. This might alter their vision quality, leading to eye strains and headaches.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does it Take For Toddlers to Adjust to Glasses?
The adjustment period to glasses can be an overwhelming experience for toddlers.
It might take a few days or weeks for children to get acquainted with glasses, but generally, the adjustment period varies from child to child.
During this period, kids might experience mild symptoms such as blurry vision, eye strain, and headaches.
However, these side effects won’t last for long, and it’s vital to help your child get used to their new eyewear.
Can a Two-Year-Old Wear Glasses?
Yes. Two-year-old kids and even infants can wear glasses if they need help to see well.
Most experts recommend waiting until a child enters school to have an eye screening.
However, if you have suspicions that your baby has eye problems, it’s vital to seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Is Farsightedness Common in Toddlers?
Yes. It’s not unheard of for some children to have mild hyperopia or farsightedness.
In most cases, this issue doesn’t need treatment since it gets better on its own as kids learn to use their eye muscles to focus correctly.
Nonetheless, always consult a pediatrician or optometrist if you have concerns about your toddler’s eyesight.
Mo Mulla is a work from home dad who enjoys reading and listening to music, He loves being a dad and husband to a growing family. He also loves writing about his passions and hopes to change the world, 1 blog post at a time!
