These are formative years for your child, personally and physically. If you have noticed a change in your child’s behavior it may be due to a change in his or her vision. Below is a list of warning signs. If your child demonstrates any of these symptoms, it is advisable to consult your eye care professional.

What to Watch for:

• Child holds reading material too close to face.
• Child sits too close to TV.
• Complains that the writing on classroom blackboard is blurry or too small.
• Missing the ball very often in sports.
• Child complains of double vision.
• Child points to words while reading.
• Writing words or letters backwards could indicate a problem.
• Child complains of headaches.
• Child skips or misses words while reading.
• Child sees better out of one eye than the other.
• Child complains of pain in or around the eye.
  Poor hand-to-eye coordination.
• Photophobia (bright lights bother eyes).
  Dizziness or nausea.
• Poor concentration while reading.
• Abnormal head tilt while reading.
• Closes or covers one eye to read.

 We’ve all heard this before, and guess what… these are recommended by your caring eye doctors.

Do

• Rest your eyes when they’re tired, especially when working at a computer.
• Wear protective goggles when using power or hand tools.
• Wear sunglasses when outdoors.
• Read in proper lighting.
• Wear your prescribed eyeglasses.
• Flush your eyes with water when dirt or dust gets in your eyes.
• Hold your book approximately sixteen inches away from your face when reading.

Don’t

• Don’t sit close to the TV. Maintain a distance of eight to ten feet.
• Don’t rub your eyes with dirty hands.
• Don’t point sharp objects at anybody’s eyes.
• Don’t look directly into the sun or bright lights.
• Don’t open your eyes under water unless you are wearing protective goggles.

Remember, your child may still have an eye problem even if he or she does not complain or has not shown any unusual signs.

Now is the time to schedule a Back to School Eye Exam.