Is your child wearing the right glasses? Why annual eye check-ups matter

A child's eyes are very important to their development and education. It is estimated that 80 to 90% of the learning a child does is done through their eyes — at school, play, or just through their everyday interactions. As children develop, their eyes change as well, making it important to get them screened regularly so their vision can continue to develop normally.In the early years, the child's visual system is in development. Left undiagnosed and untreated during this period, any refractive errors or eye conditions can lead to lifetime visual problems, including amblyopia (lazy eye) or even permanent loss of vision. Early detection through an annual comprehensive eye examination can correct these problems in time.Full eye check-ups are different from the basic distance vision screenings that schools do, since they check for eye alignment, focusing effort, depth perception, retinal health, and overall visual function. The first decade of life is the most critical time in which the brain and eyes work closely together to develop visual connections. A big part of managing your child’s eye health is ensuring that their glasses are correct (right prescription) and fitted properly. If their glasses do not fit properly or they have an incorrect prescription, they could experience eye strain, blurry vision, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and general unease. This could lead the child to not wear their glasses at all which defeats their corrective purpose! Even more alarming is if a child is prescribed glasses and they do not wear them - the child risks permanent suppression of their vision development. Certain conditions, like myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism, the eyes may struggle to focus clearly, which impacts the child’s learning ability and academic performance. In the long run, untreated vision deficits could result in poor depth perception, delayed reading abilities, struggles with sports, and reduced self-confidence.At times, children might be unaware that they are unable to see clearly or just may not communicate that they aren't able to see clearly. Indicators such as squinting, sitting too close to screens, and rubbing eyes frequently, and avoiding reading activities are signs to watch for. Parents and teachers need to be vigilant for these signs and behaviors.In conclusion, getting an eye exam or eye check-ups every year and using the right pair of glasses is all about improving a child's vision but also more than that in terms of a child's overall development, ability to succeed academically, and their long term eye health. Monitoring and fixing vision problems today can help avoid more serious issues tomorrow.Dr. Pawan Gupta, Senior Cataract & Retina Surgeon, Eye 7 Hospital Lajpat Nagar & Vision Eye Clinic, New Delhi