Last year, you found out your child needed glasses, and you purchased a brand new pair of glasses in his or her prescription. All was going well, but now your child is struggling to see again, even with his or her new glasses. Why did your child’s vision change so quickly? Are these changes normal?
Many people wonder about changes to their vision or their child’s vision. There are many reasons why a vision prescription might change. Since our eyes grow and change along with our bodies, vision changes can occur naturally. However, sometimes they’re a sign that something is wrong.
Age-Related Vision Changes
If your child is nearsighted, that nearsightedness can worsen as your child gets older. As your child grows up, his or her eyes grow and change as well. Nearsightedness often develops as early as age 6, and worsens the most around ages 11 to 13. It can continue to worsen until your child reaches his or her late teens or early 20s.
If your child is farsighted, his or her vision could actually improve as he or she grows. Farsightedness often occurs in early childhood and improves at around age 9, when the eyes have grown and learned to adjust.
From elementary school to high school, your child could need a new prescription every year or even more often. Thus, it’s important to take your child in for an eye examination at least once a year. An eye doctor can evaluate whether your child’s vision has changed. If it has, the eye doctor can prescribe new glasses or contacts.
It’s also a good idea to monitor your child’s vision throughout the year. Schedule an eye exam if your child struggles to read or see the board at school or if he or she frequently squints, rubs his or her eyes, or experiences headaches.
Adults also experience age-related changes to their vision. When you reach middle age, your eyes’ lenses begin to harden, causing you to become farsighted. As this happens, see your optometrist for a prescription for reading glasses.
Common Eye Conditions that Impact Vision
Besides nearsightedness and farsightedness, there are several eye conditions that can decrease vision. Fortunately, they are all treatable.
Astigmatism is when the eye curves differently in one direction than the other. It might cause blurry vision, but it can be corrected with glasses and contacts.
Amblyopia (lazy eye) involves malfunctioning nerve pathways between the brain and one of the eyes. Similarly, strabismus is when the eyes are misaligned. Your eye doctor may recommend wearing an eye patch to improve vision in the misaligned or malfunctioning eye. In some cases, he or she may recommend surgery.
Temporary Vision Changes
Certain conditions could cause your vision to worsen temporarily.
One of these conditions is fluctuating blood sugar levels associated with diabetes. Your vision can seem blurry until your blood sugar levels normalize. If your prescription suddenly worsens and you have diabetes, let your optometrist know. You’ll want to get your eye exam on a day when your blood sugar is stable.
Another condition that can temporarily cause your vision to worsen is dry eyes. If you have dry eyes, ask your eye doctor for a recommendation for eye drops.
Hormonal changes during pregnancy can also cause short-term changes in your vision. You may need a different prescription during your pregnancy, but your normal prescription should return either after you give birth or after you stop breastfeeding.
Disease-Related Vision Changes
If your vision suddenly gets worse, it could be a sign of a serious eye disease.
One of these diseases is glaucoma, where fluid builds up in your eye, damaging your optic nerve. If you experience sudden sight loss or blurry vision, perhaps accompanied by nausea and headaches, see an optometrist right away. Glaucoma can cause blindness if it’s not treated.
Another dangerous vision-related disease is the formation of a cataract. A cataract is when your eye’s lens becomes cloudy, negatively affecting your vision. A cataract can develop slowly over a period of time, so you might not notice it right away. If you suspect cataracts, you may need cataract surgery to restore your vision.
Finally, retinal degeneration is when your retina starts to break down. This can cause vision loss as well as night blindness and tunnel vision. There is no cure, but it can be treated with medications and laser treatment.
If you or your child notices a decrease in vision, it could simply be due to age or a common eye condition. However, sometimes vision changes indicate serious diseases or conditions that require treatment. Play it on the safe side and see an eye doctor right away.
Most optometrists recommend that you see them about once a year so they can monitor your eye health. Call All About Eyes to make your next appointment.