Eyestrain symptoms in children

If your child is complaining of sore eyes or experiencing frequent headaches, particularly after a day at school, they may be suffering from eyestrain or eye fatigue. Eyestrain is a common condition, and is increasingly becoming an issue for children, who spend a lot of time staring at computer screens both at school and home.

 Here are some common signs and symptoms of eyestrain in children:

 – Excessive rubbing of eyes

–  Complaining about tired eyes or headaches

–  Light sensitivity

–  Squinting

–  Dry eyes or watery eyes

Here are some common causes of eyestrain:

– Underlying vision problems: myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and binocular vision issues. By booking your child in for a comprehensive eye exam, one of our trained optometrists can examine your child’s vision and eye health to determine whether there are any underlying problems that may be causing your child to experience eyestrain.

– Video and computer games: spending a lot of time staring at screens is generally the most common culprit for eye strain in children. Make sure to monitor your kids’ screen time and remind them to take short eye breaks every hour or so to avoid experiencing any eye strain.

 

– Light conditions: a very easy way to protect your child’s eyes and prevent eyestrain is to ensure they are working and reading in a comfortably lit room. If lighting is too dim while your child is doing their homework or reading a book, it may strain their eyes.

 If you have concerns about your child experiencing eyestrain, our optometrists are well equipped to examine their eyes and identify the cause of their visual problems. So whether it’s eyestrain when reading or uncertainty regarding your child’s ability to see the board, we are here to help. You can get in contact with our friendly team by calling (03) 9909 5329 or complete our online form.