Home › Specialities › Children and squint › Signs a child needs a test

Signs your child needs an eye test or glasses

Children almost never complain about their eyesight. A child who has always seen the world a little blurred, or has one eye that sees much less than the other, simply assumes that everyone sees that way. So it falls to parents, grandparents and teachers to notice the signs. This guide lists them by age, and explains which signs can wait for a routine visit and which need an eye doctor quickly. For children's eye care at ReNew Vision, see children's eye care and squint treatment in Vasco.

Signs in babies (birth to one year)

• not looking at faces, or not following a moving toy or light, by about three months
• eyes that wobble or flicker from side to side
• an eye that turns in or out after about four months of age
• a white, grey or yellow glow in the pupil, often first seen in a flash photo, or one pupil that looks different from the other in photos
• eyes that look unusually large or cloudy, with watering and screwing up the eyes in light
• an eyelid that droops over the pupil
• an eye that waters and gets sticky most days, which is often a blocked tear duct; see watering eye and blocked tear duct

A white pupil, or large cloudy eyes, need an eye check within days. A white glow in the pupil can be a sign of a cataract or, rarely, a serious eye tumour, and early treatment matters.

Signs in toddlers and pre-school children (one to five years)

• an eye that turns in or out, all the time or when the child is tired
• tilting or turning the head to look at things
• covering or closing one eye, especially in bright light
• holding toys and books very close
• bumping into things or tripping more than other children of the same age
• rubbing the eyes a lot, or frequent blinking
• losing interest quickly in picture books

Many lazy eyes show no outward sign at all. If one eye sees well, the child manages normally, and the problem in the other eye is found only at an eye check-up. That is why a full check-up between about three and five years is advised for every child, before school starts.

Signs in school children

• difficulty reading the board, or copying from a classmate's book
• sitting very close to the TV, or holding a phone or book close to the face
• screwing up the eyes to see distant things
• losing their place while reading, skipping words or using a finger to keep the line
• headaches, tired eyes or rubbing the eyes after school or homework
• avoiding reading and homework, or a drop in school marks
• closing one eye in bright sunlight, which can be a sign of an outward-drifting eye
• trouble catching a ball or judging distances
• a teacher's note after school screening

Short sight often starts or increases between about six and twelve years, and screen time and too little time outdoors are thought to add to it. If your child's power keeps going up, read can a child's short sight be slowed?

Which signs need an eye doctor the same day?

• any injury to the eye, including from a ball, a stick, a toy, a firecracker or a chemical
• sudden loss of vision, or a child suddenly unable to see out of one eye
• a painful red eye, especially with blurred vision or discomfort in light
• a swollen, red eyelid with fever, or an eye that is pushed forward or hurts to move
• a squint that appears suddenly, especially with headache, vomiting or unsteadiness

Emergency eye care at ReNew Vision is available 24 hours; see eye emergency. For a chemical splash, first rinse the eye with plenty of clean water for at least 15 to 20 minutes, then come in.

Does a child with no signs need an eye check-up?

Yes. A lazy eye, a small squint or a big difference in power between the two eyes often shows no sign at home. Treatment for a lazy eye works better the younger the child, so finding it before school makes a real difference. As a general guide:

• a full eye check-up between about three and five years
• then every one to two years, or as the eye doctor advises
• every six to twelve months for a child who wears spectacles
• earlier and more often if a parent or sibling had a squint, a lazy eye or high spectacle power

Is a school eye screening enough?

School screening is useful because it catches many children who need help. But it usually checks only distance vision, and it can miss long sight, a mild lazy eye or a small squint. A child who passes a school screening but shows any of the signs above should still have a full eye check-up.

Can eye problems cause headaches or poor school work?

Sometimes. Uncorrected long sight, astigmatism or a focusing problem can cause headaches and tired eyes after reading, and blurred vision of the board can look like poor attention. Not every headache is from the eyes, though. An eye check-up either finds a cause or rules the eyes out, which helps your child's doctor too.

What happens at the eye check-up?

The check-up is adapted to the child's age, with pictures and games for young children. Drops are usually put in to relax the eye's focusing and widen the pupils, so that the spectacle power can be measured accurately; vision is blurred for some hours afterwards. The eye doctor also checks how the eyes move and line up. If your child needs spectacles, the Vision Correction Centre is in the same hospital; see spectacles for children. If there is a squint, see squint surgery: when it is needed.

Booking a child's eye check-up in Vasco

ReNew Vision Eye Hospital, 2nd floor, Pai Hospital building, Vaddem Merces Road, Vaddem, Vasco da Gama. Eye OPD Monday to Saturday, 4 pm to 7 pm, after school hours. Call or WhatsApp 072489 88039. Bring your child's spectacles, if any, and any note from school.

Questions patients ask

When should a child have the first eye test?

The baby's doctor checks the eyes after birth. A full eye check-up is advised between about three and five years, before school, even without signs, and earlier if you notice anything unusual.

Can a child need glasses even after passing the school eye test?

Yes. School screening usually checks distance vision only, and can miss long sight, a mild lazy eye or a small squint. A child with signs of an eye problem should have a full eye check-up.

Does sitting close to the TV damage a child's eyes?

No, it does not damage the eyes. But a child who always sits very close may be short-sighted, so it is a good reason for an eye check-up.

Can headaches in children be due to eyesight?

Sometimes. Long sight, astigmatism or a focusing problem can cause headaches after reading or school. An eye check-up either finds the cause or rules the eyes out.

Why does my child's eye look white in flash photos?

A white, grey or yellow glow in the pupil can be harmless, but it can also be a sign of a cataract or, rarely, a serious eye condition. Have the eyes checked within days, not weeks.

This page is general eye-health information, not personal medical advice. Your eye doctor advises you after examining your eyes.