Some vision problems, such as a turned or crossed eye, are physical conditions which are fairly easy to recognize by parents and pediatricians.
Many other vision problems are NOT easy to detect, particularly in young children. Binocular vision problems may exist as early as age 6 months to 1 year, but the child and parents are unaware of any vision difficulty. For that reason, early detection is key to helping your child develop their vision skills. When should children be examined?
The following is a listing of common signs or symptoms of vision problems that may indicate the need for a comprehensive vision exam by the Bernstein Center For Visual Performance. We specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of vision and visual performance problems.
Frequent headaches or eye strain
Blurring of distance or near vision, particularly after reading or other close work
Avoidance of close work or other visually demanding tasks
Poor judgment of depth
Turning of an eye in or out, up or down
Tendency to cover or close one eye, or favor the vision in one eye
Double vision
Poor eye-hand coordination
Difficulty following a moving target
Dizziness or motion sickness
Important Note for Parents: Symptoms and signs vary from mild to severe - and from child to child. Particularly with young children - they may not even know that the way they are seeing words is incorrect (it's the way they've always seen them). A Comprehensive Vision Exam detects most vision problems.
Although very difficult for parents to observe before reading/writing age, the Bernstein Center is also fully equipped to diagnose the early stages of these conditions, even in 2 - 3 year old children. Early detection can help your child see and learn properly.
Poor reading comprehension
Difficulty copying from one place to another
Loss of place, repetition, and/or omission of words while reading
Difficulty changing focus from distance to near and back
Poor posture when reading or writing
Poor handwriting
Can respond orally but can't get the same information down on paper
Letter and word reversals
Difficulty judging sizes and shapes