Signs of vision problems

If you, your child or anyone close to you displays any of the following signs it could be indicative of a vision problem:

• Rubs eyes frequently
• Attempts to brush away blur (children)
• Has dizziness, headaches or nausea following close proximity work
• Is inattentive during lessons done on chalkboard, wall chart or map (children)
• When looking at distant objects:
  • Holds body tense
  • Contorts face in attempts to see distant things clearly
  • Thrusts head forward
  • Squints eyes excessively
• When reading:
  • Blinks excessively
  • Holds book too far from face
  • Holds book too close to face
  • Makes frequent changes in distance when book is held
  • Stops after brief period
  • Shuts or covers one eye
  • Tilts head to one side
  • Tends to reverse words or syllables
  • Tends to look cross-eyed
  • Tends to lose place on page
  • Confuses words or letters
  • Complains that eyes hurt or feel "dusty" (children)
  • Prefers to view distant objects rather than those close-by
• Frequent appearance of sties, a bloodshot condition, eye watering or redness of the tissues around the eye
• Unusual tendency to hold or move a hand in front of the eyes
• Abnormal sensitivity to light or unusual difficulty adapting to very low levels of light

When any of the above symptoms or indicators are noted, a professional eye care specialist should be consulted for a thorough eye examination and test.

Causes of vision problems or blindness
There are many causes of blindness. Three important ones are:

Cataract
This is the cause in 20% of cases where children are affected. A cataract is a clouding of the lens inside the eye. In children it may be due to hereditary causes, or due to infections like rubella during pregnancy. Whatever the initial cause, blindness due to cataracts can be prevented by early detection and treatment.

Retinopathy of prematurity
This is the cause in 20% of cases affecting children. Retinopathy of prematurity is the scarring of the retina at the back of the eye that may occur when high levels of oxygen are administered to premature babies. Blindness due to retinopathy of prematurity can be prevented by early detection and treatment.

Corneal scarring
This is the cause in 10% of cases affecting children. Corneal scarring refers to scarring of the window in the front of the eye. It may be due to infections, Vitamin A deficiency, and the use of harmful traditional eye medicines. Blindness due to corneal scarring can be prevented by early detection and treatment.

Important causes of blindness in one eye

Injuries
These can result from accidents caused by a variety of objects, such as sticks, stones, BB pellets and fireworks. Children should be discouraged from playing with items like these.

"Lazy eye"
This may occur where children have a squint (when eyes are not straight), or sometimes if the child needs glasses. If neglected, this condition cannot be treated.

How to prevent childhood blindness?

• No sticks, stones, BB gun pellets and fireworks
• No harmful traditional eye medicines
• Ensure good nutrition and face hygiene
  

If you think your child has a vision problem, don't delay, get their eyes tested by a professional.