Even if your child hasn’t had any complaints about their eyesight over the summer, vision issues can develop slowly enough for them not to notice until they try to read the chalkboard at school. Being able to see clearly is important for success at school and for a good overall quality of life, but more and more children are developing vision problems at a younger age.

Early Childhood Myopia: What It is and What’s Causing It

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, occurs when the light that comes into the eye focuses in front of the retina rather than directly on it, causing further objects to appear blurry. It is a common condition in many children by the time they begin school and develops in many more children around the ages of six and seven.

Although a part of the development of myopia can be attributed to genetics, it is environmental factors which have contributed to the sharp rise in rates of myopia among children. The main factors seem to be spending more time indoors and spending more time reading, writing, and looking at screens. Thankfully, the condition can be easily corrected with corrective lenses.

School-aged children can also suffer from vision problems such as farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. Like myopia, these conditions can also be corrected with prescription eyewear.

Eyesight and School Performance

Vision problems, especially when undiagnosed, can cause your child to experience issues in the classroom. So much of the learning that goes on in school and in other aspects of life is visual. If your child isn’t able to properly see the board or the work in front of them, then they may feel frustrated and disengaged, causing them to fall behind or to act out. Vision problems can also lead to headaches, making it even more difficult to learn.

Children often aren’t able to articulate what may be wrong, which can make it very difficult to suspect a vision issue. The best way to catch the problem is by taking them for comprehensive vision testing at an optometrist clinic.

Eyesight Changes in the Childhood and Teen Years

As your child grows and changes, their eyesight will most likely change as well. Myopia can worsen quite rapidly during the childhood and teen years, meaning that your child is going to need to have their glasses prescription updated frequently. Going for an annual eye exam during the back-to-school season ensures that they will be ready for the coming school year.

If your child’s prescription seems to drop dramatically year after year but your optometrist isn’t worried, then you shouldn’t worry either. Eyesight usually stabilizes by the late teens and early twenties, after which point your child will see minimal prescription changes.

Preserving and protecting your child’s eyesight is important for all aspects of their life. Thankfully, a regular visit to an optometrist is all it takes to make sure they have the proper prescription for corrective lenses and that their eyes are healthy. It’s a simple and effective task to add to your back-to-school tradition.