Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes do not align. Also known as crossed eyes or being wall-eyed, it occurs when one eye turns in, out, up, or down while the other remains straight. That can happen all the time or only occasionally. Strabismus can affect people of any age but is most common in young children. 

Convergence insufficiency (CI) is an eye coordination problem where the eyes move outward when doing close work like reading.  Convergence insufficiency is the most common eye coordination problem, but is frequently undiagnosed as it is not tested for at vision screenings.  It commonly affects children, but people of all ages can have it.  It is also the most common vision problem that develops after a concussion.  Read on to learn more.

Myopia or nearsightedness is a common condition causing blurry distance vision in children and adults.  More people worldwide have myopia than ever before. Recent studies show that myopia is being diagnosed in kids at younger ages, and is progressing quicker than ever before. Myopia is a disease in which the eyeball continues to get longer, causing the image to focus in front of the retina, which causes blurry distance vision. 

The visual system is immature at birth and continues to develop as the child grows. Issues in early childhood can result in brain development problems and developmental delays.

Vision therapy is a series of doctor supervised eye exercises utilizing prisms, occlusion lenses, and specialized testing to improve visual problems than cannot be fixed by glasses and contacts alone.  It involves training focusing, eye aiming, coordination, and visual form perception.  The therapy aims to develop efficient visual skills and processing of visual information.  Vision therapy can improve quality of life in several areas- it can help students struggling with reading and writing, adults to do computer work with less eyestrain, and athletes to gain a competitive edge.

Vision is an essential factor in the development of children because they mostly learn by observation. However, it can be difficult to know if a child has an eye condition that is making it difficult for them to see normally.   Here are a few warning signs to look for if you think your child may have vision problems:

Many parents ask themselves the question, ‘how often does my child need to see an eye doctor?’.  The question may arise more as they reach school age.  The most crucial issue to address at a young age is whether your child’s vision will inhibit them from doing well in school. If visual issues are present from a young age, their overall development can be affected.