Blurred Vision in Children

Blurred Vision in Children

Having blurred vision means that your child cannot see things clearly.

Your child’s vision may seem fuzzy or out of focus.

It can involve your child’s vision for objects that are close or far away.

It may affect one or both eyes.

What are the causes of blurred vision in children?

Blurred vision in children can have various underlying causes, some of which are common and easily treatable, while others may be more serious and require prompt medical attention.

Here are some common causes of blurred vision in children:

  1. Refractive Errors: Refractive errors, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism, can cause blurred vision. These conditions occur when the shape of the eye prevents light from focusing directly on the retina.
  2. Uncorrected Vision Problems: Children may experience blurred vision if they have vision problems that have not been diagnosed or corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
  3. Eye Muscle Imbalance (Strabismus): Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes do not align properly, leading to double vision or suppression of vision from one eye, which can result in blurred vision.
  4. Amblyopia (Lazy Eye): Amblyopia is a condition in which one eye has poorer vision than the other, often due to a misalignment or refractive error. The brain may favor the stronger eye, leading to blurred vision in the weaker eye.
  5. Eye Infections: Infections of the eye, such as conjunctivitis (pink eye) or other types of infections, can cause blurred vision, especially if the cornea is affected.
  6. Allergies: Eye allergies can cause redness, itching, and blurred vision due to inflammation and irritation of the eyes.
  7. Eye Injury: Trauma or injury to the eye can cause blurred vision, depending on the extent of the damage.
  8. Cataracts: Although relatively rare in children, cataracts (clouding of the eye’s lens) can cause blurred vision if present.
  9. Glaucoma: Glaucoma, a condition characterized by increased pressure within the eye, can affect children and cause blurred vision.
  10. Neurological Conditions: Some neurological conditions, such as brain tumors or increased intracranial pressure, can manifest with blurred vision.
  11. Certain Systemic Diseases: Conditions like diabetes or juvenile arthritis can have ocular manifestations and lead to blurred vision in some cases.

There are many causes of blurred vision in children. Below are the most common causes

In many cases, blurred vision has to do with the shape of your child’s eye. An abnormal eye shape means that your child cannot focus well (refractive error). When this happens, it can cause:

  • Faraway objects to look blurry (nearsightedness).
  • Close objects to look blurry (farsightedness).
  • Blurry vision at any distance (astigmatism).

What research says

Nonorganic vision loss (NOVL), also referred to as functional vision loss, is characterized by the onset of visual deficit or disturbance that cannot be explained by organic pathology.

Typically, patients present with subjective visual complaints, but extensive diagnostic imaging, labs, and exams reveal no abnormalities.

The first published case of NOVL was in 1865, however, despite its relatively long history there are few studies and case reports on the topic.

Refractive errors are often corrected with glasses or contacts.

Blurred vision can be diagnosed based on your child’s symptoms and a physical exam. Tell your child’s health care provider about any other health problems your child has, any recent eye injury, and any prior surgeries.

Your child may need to see a health care provider who specializes in eye problems (ophthalmologist). Your child’s treatment will depend on what is causing his or her blurred vision.

Follow these instructions at home:

  • Keep all follow-up visits as told by your child’s health care provider. This is important. These include any visits to your child’s eye specialists.
  • Have your child use eye drops only as told by your child’s health care provider.
  • If your child was prescribed glasses or contact lenses, have your child wear the glasses or contacts as told by your child’s health care provider.
  • Schedule eye exams regularly for your child.
  • Pay attention to any changes in your child’s symptoms.
  • If your child is old enough to drive, do notlet your child drive or use heavy machinery if his or her vision is blurry.
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