Top 4 Eye And Vision Complications Causing Headaches In Children

Does your child complain of headaches? Is it targeted in the same region every time? Have you had your kid’s eyes checked lately? Headaches are a common symptom of eye issues in children. Thus, when your child complains of headaches it is essential to first make an appointment with your optometrist and family doctor to resolve it immediately before the headaches, and possibly eye vision get worse. In the meantime, ask yourself the following questions to narrow down the cause of the headaches. The more information you are able to provide to your eye doctor during appointments the better diagnosis he/she will be able to conclude.

1.Does your child squint?

This is not such an easy thing to assess as you may think. The person who would be able to address this better is your child’s teacher. Ask the teacher if your child seems to squint when having to read the overhead in class or view a demonstration on the board. If the child squints it results in headaches. If the teacher is unavailable for input, then ask your child if he/she is able to see the teacher’s notes in class. Ask the child if anything appears to be blurry. The answers your child and the teacher, if possible, provides will help you decide if a visit to the eye doctor is more appropriate than a visit to the family physician.

2.Has your child had a recent change in eye glasses?

When a child receives eye glasses for the first time or receives a change in eye glass wear, then headaches may ensue. For instance, if eye glass frames are not adjusted correctly then pressure on the side of the head may occur initiating the child to suffer from headaches. Also, if the frames are tilted and not sitting properly upon the face, then the way a child sees out of the lens is distorted. The prescription is not used appropriately causing eye strain. Eye strain is a direct link to headaches.

3.Does your child hold reading material too close?

If your child is holding reading material too close to the face and complains of headaches, then most likely vision is the contributing factor. When a child reads or works up close, then the eyes perform two functions. The eyes focus to adjust to the correct distance, then both eyes turn in towards the exact direction of what is being read. If the eye capacity needed to manage this task is lacking, then headaches ensue. A good means to measure what is happening in your child’s eyes is to see how far the reading material is in relation to the face. Most reading is completed at 14 16 inches away from a child’s face. Therefore, if the child is holding it up too close, then blurred vision and eye strain may be taking place causing the headaches.

4.Does your child see double?

If a child has a problem seeing correctly, then you may be able to see it in the eyes. For example, if a child is fighting not to see double, then the child’s eyes will move in various directions. The eyes will turn in, out, up or down. It becomes a constant struggle for the kid resulting in frequent headaches.