Common Visual Problems with Children and Treatments
Myopia (Near-sightedness)
Near objects are seen clearly while objects in the distance are blurry. Your child may complain of difficulty seeing
the blackboard in class or seeing the television. Treatment includes glasses for distance wear.
Hyperopia (Far-sightedness)
Far away objects are seen clearly while objects at near may be blurry. Your child may complain of blurred vision
while doing homework or near tasks. Vision may also be affected at distance. Treatment includes glasses for
full-time wear or for near tasks.
Accommodative Disorder
Accommodative disorder is caused by a problem with a child’s ability to focus on objects at near.
Your child may complain of eye strain, headaches at school, and difficulty with reading.
Primary treatment may include use of glasses. If glasses do not relieve the symptoms, vision
therapy may be needed in order to retrain the focusing system.
Amblyopia
Amblyopia is defined as poor vision in one or both eyes due to improper visual development during childhood.
Improper visual development may have been caused by a high prescription that was never corrected or an eye turn.
Your child may complain of reduced vision in one or both eyes, poor depth perception, squinting or an eye turn.
Primary treatment depends on the cause of the amblyopia. Common treatments include full-time wearing of
glasses to optimize vision, vision therapy to minimize or correct an eye turn if present and patching therapy to
maximize visual function of an eye.
Convergence Insufficiency
Convergence Insufficiency is caused by an inability of the eye muscles to work together and turn inward, specifically
during reading.
Your child may complain of double vision, eye strain, headaches and difficulty with reading.
Primary treatment of convergence insufficiency is vision therapy to “train” the eye muscles. Occasionally use of
special prism lenses may help to relieve symptoms.
Strabismus
Strabismus is defined as an inability of the eyes to work together at the same time. This can result in an “eye turn”
(one or both eyes may turn in, out, up or down).
Your child may complain of (or you may notice) a “wandering eye”, double vision, difficulty reading, headaches.
Treatment of strabismus can include vision therapy to maintain eye alignment, special prism lenses and glasses.
Allergic Conjunctivitis
Allergic conjunctivitis is caused by an allergic response (eg pollen, seasonal ragweed, animal fur etc)
that causes the conjunctiva (the lining of the eye) to become inflamed and irritated.
Your child may complain of eyes being itchy, watery, red, dry or light sensitivity.
Treatment may include use of an eye drop (prescription or non-prescription) and
cool compresses to relieve symptoms.
