Could Your Child Need Glasses?

by Nancy Prail 
ChildSight® Director, Helen Keller International

Did you know that the most prevalent disabling condition among children in the United States is vision impairment? It may seem hard to believe, but one in four adolescents suffers from common vision problems. Even worse, many of them are not even aware of it.  In almost fifteen years working for Helen Keller International’s ChildSight® program, I have seen a lot of kids who were surprised to learn that they needed glasses.

Here are 5 simple steps you can take to make sure your child isn’t one of them.

1.  Do your homework.

It’s important to be educated about your child’s eyes. These fast facts will help you out, but a conversation with your child’s primary care physician is a great place to start.

• Refractive error is the medical term used to describe common vision problems, most commonly nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
• The typical onset for refractive error is between the ages of 10 and 15.
• The most common remedy for refractive error is a simple pair of prescription eyeglasses.

2.  Touch base with your child’s teacher.

Get to know your child’s teacher and make sure that you ask specific questions about your child’s behavior throughout the school year that may indicate whether your child needs glasses. Some examples could be:

• Is my child falling behind on homework assignments?
• Is my child failing tests?
• Does my child frequently talk or act up in class?
• Has my child’s class participation decreased?
• Does my child have problems reading out loud from textbooks or from the blackboard?

If a child has an uncorrected vision problem, they may lose confidence in their abilities, lose interest in the material or simply not understand the concepts being taught. This could mean bad behavior in the classroom or a slip in grades.  Work with the teacher to ensure that your child is not having problems seeing the board or reading text books.

3.  Watch your child over time.

Do you notice your child doing any of the following on a regular basis:

• Squinting?
• Rubbing their eyes?
• Tilting their head?
• Frequently losing their place or skipping lines while reading?
• Finger pointing while reading?
• Sitting very close to the television?
• Watching TV with one hand over their eye?
• Rubbing their eyes?

If you answered yes to any of the above, it’s time to take your child to the eye doctor for an exam.

4.  Make glasses cool.

Your child may be upset to learn that he or she needs glasses.  Remind your child that there is nothing wrong with wearing glasses by pointing out people they look up to who also wear glasses, such as celebrities, friends or family members.  Make the process of getting glasses fun by letting them choose their own frames.  Remember, if your child does not like their glasses, the glasses will stay in their case.

5.  Take your child for an eye exam once a year.

Even if your child needs glasses, an annual eye exam is still necessary to ensure that their prescription is correct.  And just because your child does not need glasses this year does not mean they won’t need them in the future.

More than just improving academic performance, clear vision also gives students the self-confidence to pursue opportunities and experiences outside of the classroom, helping them reach their full potential.  Get your child’s eyes checked and help them see what they may be missing – lessons and assignments on the board, new ideas in books, or baseballs when they step up to the plate. 

Nancy Prail is the Director for Helen Keller International’s ChildSight® program, which provides free vision screenings, prescription glasses and referrals for follow up care for children across the United States who cannot afford them. Visit www.hki.org to learn more about Helen Keller International.

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