Kids Eye Health: Signs of Vision Problems and
How to Take Care of Kids’ Eyes

How does Children's Eye Health Develop Over Time?

Children’s eye health develops dramatically from infancy to adolescence. According to the Kids Health Organisation, newborns begin with limited vision as they primarily see blurred shapes, light and colour. They can focus on objects at a maximum distance of 30cm away. According to the Child and Adolescent Health Service,  your child will be able to focus on moving objects at around 2 months old. At 5-8 months old, depth perception will develop and they will have a better grasp of controlling eye movements and visual tracking. According to the National Institute of Health, children will typically develop 20/20 vision by the time they are at least 5 years old. By ages 7-8, they will reach near adult levels of vision. Adolescence will be when most kids have fully developed their vision, depth perception and clarity. These are the typical stages of paediatric vision your child will go through.

What Types of Vision Screening are Available for Kids?

There are a variety of vision screening options available for kids depending on their needs. These include a Visual Acuity Test, Comprehensive Eye Exam, Eye Alignment, Depth Perception Test and the Colour Blindness test. These vision care practices and eye tests are described below.

• Visual Acuity Test: The Visual Acuity Test refers to a test that gauges the clarity and sharpness of a person’s vision. These often use an eye chart, namely The Snellen Chart or LogMAR chart to measure how well a child can see from various distances.
• Comprehensive Eye Exam: Comprehensive eye exams are conducted by a professional and assess overall eye health and vision. These include a variety of tests that check for eye pressure, refractive errors and more. An optometrist can provide child eye health tips based on the results.
• Eye Alignment: Eye alignment tests aim to see if both eyes are properly aligned and working together, such as the cover test. 
• Depth Perception Test: The Depth Perception Test gauges how well someone can see in three dimensions. An example of this is the Titmus Fly Test which uses 3D images to assess how well a child can perceive depth by identifying which in a series of images appears closer. 
• Colour Blindness Test: A Colour Blindness Test will determine whether your child is able to see and distinguish colour correctly. The Ishihara Colour Test is an example of this wherein a series of plates with coloured dots are arranged in patterns that form numbers that the children are asked to identify.

How can you tell if a Toddler Needs Glasses?

There are signs that can tell you if your toddler needs glasses. These signs include frequently rubbing their eyes, crossing their eyes and avoiding close-up activities. Frequent eye rubbing may indicate discomfort or strain, suggesting that they might be struggling to see clearly. Your child may be near or far-sighted if they are often found crossing their eyes which is important to check with a professional. They may avoid or struggle with close-up activities such as reading and colouring and prefer to play with toys at a distance which could indicate farsightedness. Early vision symptoms such as these can have negative effects on a child’s learning and development as they can struggle to keep up with their classmates. That is why it is pivotal to consult an optometrist if these vision problems in toddlers are emerging as they may need prescription glasses.

Why Does Eyesight Become Weaker in Teenagers?

It is common to find that eyesight weakens during the teenage years particularly if teens suffer from Myopia according to the Healthy Children's Organisation. This is due to reasons such as increased screen time, lessened outdoor activity and genetic factors. Teenagers will spend more time on screens than they did as children due to school work and the popularity of social media amongst the demographic. According to My Kids Vision, excess screen usage can be linked to the development of vision problems such as myopia, dry eyes and eyestrain. Due to this increase in screen time as well as heightened school pressures, teenagers are also less likely to spend time outside. There has been research done as cited by My Kids Health to suggest that increased time spent outdoors prevents or delays myopia in children and teenagers. Genetic factors also contribute to this weakness in eyesight. If parents have present or past vision problems their children are more likely to be susceptible to the same vision problems. Myopia, for instance, often develops between the ages of 7 and 13 according to The Healthy Children’s Organisation. These factors can lead to weakness in children's vision health. It is important to be aware of these factors that can lead to eyesight problems in teenagers. Some tips to combat eye strain in teenagers include following the 20-20-20 rule, adjusting screen settings and encouraging good lighting. These eyesight problems are listed below.

• Following the 20-20-20 Rule: Following the 20-20-20 rule is a great way to combat eye strain. They will look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds every twenty minutes. As teenagers spend more time on their devices, they should take frequent breaks.
• Adjust the Screen Settings: Ensure children adjust the screen settings of their devices such as the brightness and contrast. Blue light filters or night mode are particularly useful to minimise glare and reduce blue light exposure in the evening. 
• Ensure Good Lighting: Ensure good lighting is set up when teens are doing homework or reading. Lamps with soft, diffused lighting can help reduce eye strain.

How can Eye Exercises Help Improve Kids' Vision?

Eye exercises can help improve kids’ vision as they nurture coordination, focus and visual tracking which are essential for their everyday activities and development. Eye exercises such as tracking moving objects and focusing on near and far objects are accessible exercises to nurture these qualities. Tracking moving objects is a good exercise for your child to try. They just have to sit in a comfortable position and focus on a small object like a pencil. They then move the object in different directions while following it with their eyes. This will strengthen their eye movement and improve their tracking abilities, which will prove particularly useful in physical activity. Focusing on near and far stationary objects is also a good exercise to incorporate. Children can hold their thumb around 50cm from their face and focus on it for 15 seconds. After this time is up, they shift their gaze to a target 6 metres away and hold their focus for 15 seconds. They can repeat this several times to train their focusing system, which refers to the lens inside our eye that automatically adjusts to see clearly at all distances. Exercising the power of vision through these eye exercises may lessen eye strain among children.