Visual impairment in children: types, causes, prevention

Good vision is essential for a child to enjoy what they see, recognize the world, and learn in school. However, children have congenital and acquired visual impairments. They have certain symptoms. How to identify that a child has a visual impairment:

• A child complains of blurred vision.
• One eye looks straight ahead, the other eye moves erratically.
• The child often squints, blinks. He may cover one eye with his hand.
• Eye fatigue, headache.
• Double vision, dizziness.
• The child can read only for a short time.
• There are disturbances in the coordination of movements, the child may stutter while walking.
• The eyes hurt, burning sensation is felt.

If two or more symptoms are observed, it is necessary to consult a doctor. He will appoint an examination, diagnose and prescribe treatment.

Types of visual impairment in children

Most often, children develop such pathologies:

• Strabismus or strabismus. The child's eyes look in different directions and do not focus on one object. Often occurs due to a violation of the tone of the oculomotor muscles.
• Myopia or myopia. The child sees well up close, but it is difficult for him to see small objects in the distance. This can be due to hormonal changes in the process of growth, due to the same type of strain on vision, if the child uses a smartphone for a long time.
• Hyperopia or farsightedness. What is in the distance the child sees well, but the details of objects nearby he sees poorly.
• Amblyopia - blurred vision. This pathology is corrected with glasses. It occurs as a concomitant disease of myopia or hyperopia. Amblyopia can be a consequence of trauma or congenital pathology.
• Daltonism - the child does not distinguish some colors or sees them in other shades.
• Astigmatism occurs due to the irregular shape of the cornea. The child sees a blurred image.

Prevention of visual impairment in children

For the first time, an ophthalmologist checks the vision of a newborn child. Even then it is possible to detect cataracts, glaucoma, strabismus. The doctor assesses the condition of the vessels of the eye fundus. Then, as the child grows, the diagnosis of vision is carried out at certain periods:

• At 2-3 years of age, they determine how sharp the vision is, whether there is strabismus, whether amblyopia develops.
• In 11-12 years check binocular functions, the quality of color vision, the presence of diseases.
• At 14-15 years of age, they examine whether eye diseases are developing.

Regular examinations are necessary to detect visual disturbances as early as possible. The sooner treatment is started, the more likely it is to restore vision in childhood.

A few recommendations for the prevention of visual impairment in children:

• Do not read lying down. In this position, the cervical vessels are squeezed, blood stagnates in the head area. If you read in this position for a long time, there may be excessive pressure in the vessels of the eyes.
• The distance of the book from the eyes should be 40-45 cm.
• Place of study or rest, where the child reads, provide sufficient lighting. Then the vision will not be excessively strained.
• During study, the child needs to take breaks so that the organs of vision rest. It is important that the child after using gadgets or reading, look into the distance, consider objects that are at different distances.

During the period of development of the child, he needs full nutrition. In order for the body to have a resource for the development of vision, it is important for him to receive vitamin A, useful fats for its assimilation. The doctor can advise on what other substances are necessary for good vision.