Your child may need glasses, don’t ignore the signs

GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) – American Optometric Association reports that 61% of children in the United States who have vision problems never see an eye doctor. If left unchecked, it can affect more than just the baby’s vision.

Cora Pirie, 9, loves to read. But at the beginning of last school year, looking at these words gave her a headache.

“I started noticing that when I read, the material became blurry,” Cora Pirie said. “I looked at the words and they just looked like lines.”

She eventually told her mother, who was surprised.

“I wasn’t sure at first because neither my husband nor I have eye problems,” Holly Pirie said.

Her daughter had just had a general checkup with her pediatrician, so her mom thought she was fine.

“My son and I both got tested, so when she complained, I thought, well, she got tested by her pediatrician, so she’s probably fine,” Holly said.

But just in case, she took her daughter to an ophthalmologist, who determined that Cora was farsighted.

“In Cora’s case, she can focus very well at close range for very short periods of time, but her challenge is maintaining that focus for longer periods of time,” said Prisma Health ophthalmologist Dr. Jeanette White.

That’s why Dr. White believes her vision problems were not noticed during her pediatrician’s appointment. She says these are signs to look out for, whether they’re nearsighted or farsighted.

“Abnormal head position: They may turn their head to one side or tilt it,” Dr. White said. “They may close or cover one eye if they are trying to read.”

And poor vision can lead to more serious problems.

“The child may give up and this manifests itself in unwanted behavior, attention deficits or simply not being smart,” Dr. White said.

Cora says she likes her new rose-colored glasses.

Dr. White says there is no specific age at which children should see an eye doctor, which is why it’s important to pay attention to the signs.

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