Warning Signs Your Child Needs Glasses (And Why Your Child Needs An Eye Test Even Without Them)

One day when I was 12, a school friend and I were riding around town on our bikes. We should have been doing homework, but didn't quite feel like it yet. When it suddenly started pouring down with rain, my friend pointed to an optician's and said, "hey, let's get an eye test". It was free, would be "fun", and would keep us dry while the rain died down. As it turned out, I needed glasses. I don't think I ever had a comprehensive eye exam before that day, but I do remember the pediatrician shining into my eyes with a light. 

When the test was over, the optometrist asked me if I'd like to step outside, wearing those hugely embarrassing "owl glasses" they use to determine your prescription. I reluctantly agreed. My prescription was -2 and I wasn't reluctant anymore when I saw individual leaves on spring trees for the very first time. Don't get me wrong — I knew trees had individual leaves. I had seen them on the ground during the fall and on low bushes. On high trees though? Never.

Of course, when I did get my first pair of glasses — a wide-rimmed black pair — I was ashamed and worried my classmates would bully me, so I delayed wearing them at school. When I did take the plunge, I found that I could actually see what was written on the blackboard clearly. (I was a loud kid and sat at the back of the classroom.)

Red Flags That Indicate Your Child May Need Glasses

Only a full eye exam can ultimately determine whether or not your child needs glasses. However, there are plenty of warning signs that indicate it is time to take your child to see an optometrist. Here's a list.

• Your child squints. Whether someone is nearsighted or farsighted, squinting is a classic tell-tale sign that their eyes aren't working properly. Squinting is the brain's way of trying to focus on something that isn't clear. Closing only one eye when they're trying to see something well can indicate astigmatism or can mean that one eye is a whole lot better than the other.
• Your child may tilt their head.
• Your child frequently rubs their eyes or complains of tired eyes. Trying to see well without glasses when everything is blurry is hard work. Complaining of headaches often is another related sign.
• Sitting really close to the TV or computer screen or bringing a book or tablet very close to the eyes is a red flag for nearsightedness.
• Your child may lose track of words or lines in books they're reading. Their handwriting may be untidy despite ample instruction. Likewise, the child's attention span may seem to be short for their age group and appear to be clumsy.

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If your child is displaying any of these signs of vision problems, you have excellent reason to book an appointment for an eye test. However, all kids should have eye exams regardless of whether they show signs of needing glasses. Find out why — and what to expect from an eye test — on the next page.

Why (And When) All Kids Should Have Regular Eye Exams

Did you know that up to 10 percent of preschoolers need glasses, as well as up to 25 percent of school-aged children? If your own child is among them, you wouldn't want them to miss out on the clear vision that they need to succeed academically, but also socially and in sports, would you? The American Optometric Association (AOA) warns: "A child's brain learns how to use eyes to see, just like it learns how to use legs to walk or a mouth to form words. The longer a vision problem goes undiagnosed and untreated, the more a child's brain learns to accommodate the vision problem."

The AOA recommends that a baby has their first eye exam at six months. At this point, the doctor will be looking for eye health issues, eye movement abilities, and early signs of astigmatism (simply said, blurred vision because the eye can't transform what it sees into clear images), nearsightedness (not seeing faraway objects clearly), and farsightedness (not seeing close-by objects clearly). 

Your child's pediatrician will almost certainly perform a vision screening as part of their routine care. However, preschoolers (aged between three and five) need a comprehensive eye exam performed by an optometrist, as the AOA says pediatricians "may miss as many as 60 percent of children with vision problems". 

By the time your child is ready for elementary school, they will need another eye exam — especially but not exclusively if they display any of the warning signs mentioned on the first page. After first grade, children should have eye exams at least every two years. When thinking about eye exams, it is important to keep in mind that any vision screening your child's school may provide isn't comprehensive, and that a child can have "20/20" vision while still suffering from other vision problems.

Why Do Pupils Need To Be Dilated?

The first time my kids were due for a thorough eye exam, I admit I was really worried about the "eye drops" that dilate their pupils. The optometrist explained that they would be slightly painful and would make the kids' eyes sensitive to light for a while. I didn't like the thought of that much, and I suspect you may feel the same. So why do pupils need to be dilated for a child eye exam?

The one, two (or in my son's case, because he was fidgety and tried to get the stuff out) three rounds of eye drops that dilate the child's pupils take about 30 minutes to start working. The drops relax the muscles inside the eye as well as dilating the pupils, so the optometrist will get a clear view (no pun intended!) of the retina and can also check the eyes for cataracts. It also enables the optometrist to give your child the right prescription if they do need glasses, because a child's eyes are better at accommodating.

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