Children's Eye Conditions

We can't really know what a child who has a sight impairment is able to see, because we can't see the world through their eyes. However, we can get a good idea of what they can and can't see, and therefore what help is needed, simply by watching them closely:

• do they lean forward or squint to look closely at the TV?
• do they bring a book or a toy right up to their face to look at it?
• do they turn or tilt their head to look at something?
• Do they close or cover one of their eyes sometimes when they want to look at something?

Depending on the nature of their sight impairment:

• things may look blurred or fuzzy
• only a part of an object can be seen
• things can only be seen when they are moving
• or when they are stationary
• only objects directly in front of the child can be seen
• whereas things on the side are invisible

Because every child's needs will be different, so will be the support and help they receive. Please visit the pages on the right to find out more about the more common eye conditions affecting children.