Shakthi Eye Care Centre | Vision Testing

Many parents are not aware of the fact that it is essential to check vision in all children even if the child is not having any obvious symptoms. Approximately one in 1000 children are blind in India and about 50 percent of the causes of childhood blindness is potentially preventable and treatable. Many times the child may be apparently normal till school going age and the visual impairment can be missed if not examined by an ophthalmologist.

There are various reasons for poor vision in children including genetic factors, cataract, glaucoma, birth injuries, refractive errors, Vitamin A deficiency and infection.

Testing vision in children is different from adults and it can be more time consuming. Often more than one visit to the ophthalmologist is necessary if vision problem is suspected. All children are dilated for complete evaluation followed by post dilated examination on a different day. Many different gadgets available for vision testing in children according to their age. There are special reading charts available for small children who can’t yet read the numbers or alphabets.

Among the various causes mentioned, refractive errors are the most common causes of visual impairment in children. Often the vision problem is noted in the school during routine screening or by the class teacher. The following are some of the signs which suggest that child may be having a vision problem.