Does your child see well?

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 260, 25 October 1988, Page 7

Does your child see well?

More than 10 per cent of New Zealand primary school children have visual defects. This means that the eyesight of one child in ten is not as efficient as it could and should be.

The blackboard might appear sharp and clear to Sarah but it might be blurred to Joseph and at his age Joseph is unlikely to complain because h e does not realise that it is clearer to anyone else than it is to him. Yet perhaps little more than half the defects in children's eyes are disclosed by a blackboard test, and the shortcomings in children's sight rarely produce dramatic or painful symptoms. Nevertheless, these undisclosed defects can be troublesome. Children with faulty vision generally suffer in their learning, personality and happiness. A young child may avoid some norma! activities if they cannot do them well because they cannot see clearly. They are liable to become irritable, temperamental, even thoroughly rebellious - symptoms which are often interpreted by parents as just "naughtiness". Children today read considerably more than did the children of 25 years ago. Three-quar-ters of all primary school study activities required reading ability and in secondary schools the proportion

is higher. The demands on the eyes are much greater than they used to be, Watch for Signs What are the indications that a child's vision might be defective? An observant parent will notice some of the signs, such as frequent rubbing of the eyes, squinting or narrowing of the eyes in an effort to see, head tilting or persistent redness o f the eyes or lids. Frequently the signs are less obvious, affecting the child's personality and co-ordina-tion. Small defects may cause nervous tension, untidiness in school work, clumsiness especially in ball games and even apparent stupidity. What to Do Parents should have their children's vision examined before school age or at least soon after, even in the absence of signs and symptoms. This is particularly advisable if there is a visual defect such as myopia (short sightedness) in the family. It is important that certain visual defects are detected as early as possible and remedied while the vision i s still developing. If spectacles are required

the child will not necessarily have to wear them always. At some later stage spectacles may be required for concentrated vision only or they may no longer be needed at all. Advise on such matters should be sought from your optometrist or ophthalmologist. Parents can also help to maintain the visual

efficiency of those children who do have good vision by being observant and following a few simple rules: • Discourage a child from holding reading matter too close to the eyes - 12 to 14 inches is close enough. • Watch the lighting over homework - there should be good illumination from over the

shoulder directly to the work and general lighting which eliminates excessive contrast. • Slouching over the table or desk brings the eyes too close to the work and should be discouraged, as should the habit of lying on the floor to read. Light at table height is usually considerably better

than at floor level. • Encourage regular breaks from concentrated reading and study. This relaxation will reduce vision fatigue. • Sensible T . V . viewing has no harmful effect on children's

eyes, but ensure they are seated at an adequate distance from the screen, rather than lying on the floor close to it. This material is produced by the New Zealand Optometrical Association.