
Tilting their head
If you find yourself asking, does my child really need glasses?, take note of their head movement. Tilting to see well can be a sign of a vision problem, like:
- Ptosis or drooping eyelid – It’s a condition wherein one or both of the upper eyelids are lower than they should be. The eyelids then can reduce the line of vision, and the child tilts their head to see past the eyelid.
- Strabismus – This is a condition where the eyes are not aligned properly. Children tilt their head to line up the eyes and use them together.
- Double vision- In some cases, children experience double vision when they look down or turn to a particular direction; tilting reduces double vision and helps them see more clearly. Please note that double vision can also be a complication of strabismus.
Finger-pointing while reading
When you ask your child to read aloud, observe if they are pointing their finger at the words they are reading.
If they are, it might be due to “crowding,” a phenomenon where letters or words appear too close together, making recognition difficult. Crowding is common in amblyopia or lazy eye, which can be a complication of strabismus.
However, please note that finger-pointing is not always a bad sign. In fact, it’s seen in many children who are learning to read independently. For this reason, please check if there are other signs besides finger-pointing while reading.
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