Miami Lighthouse for the Blind - Services - Children's Programs


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Good Vision = A Better Chance at Success

Undetected and undiagnosed vision problems in children can lead to learning difficulties, delayed development, behavior problems, and permanent vision loss.

Many vision problems begin before children start school. Two percent of children entering the first grade have a refractive error, such as farsightedness (hyperopia), nearsightedness (myopia), or astigmatism. Lazy eye (amblyopia) and misaligned eyes (strabismus) are two common problems which, left untreated, can become more difficult to correct. Identifying these vision problems early can significantly help reduce their long-term effects. Early recognition of disease results in more effective treatment that can be sight saving or even life saving.

Some signs and symptoms of vision problems in children include:

Eyes that are crossed, turning in, out, or moving independently of each other
Red, watery, or itchy eyes
Squinting, closing or covering one eye when reading or writing
Holding reading material close to the face
Losing his/her place when reading
Poor eye-hand coordination
Blurring of vision at near or distant objects
Headaches, nausea and dizziness

To read an article in the Miami Lighthouse Lantern about signs of vision problems in children, click here: Lantern Winter 2008 Extra

Vision is an essential part of everyday life and it affects development, learning, communication, work, health, and quality of life. Every effort must be made to ensure that before children reach age 5, they receive a screening or comprehensive eye exam from their health care provider. For more information about preschool children’s eye examinations, please call the Miami Lighthouse Heiken Children’s Vision Program at 305-856-9830.

Links:

American Optometric Association: www.aoanet.org
Healthy People 1020: www.healthyvision2010.org
National Eye Institute: www.nei.nih.gov
Vision Council of America: www.checkyearly.com