For most adults, identifying when there's a problem with their optical health is easy. Children, however, may not know how to recognise or communicate key signs of poor eye health. If you're worried about your little one, here are some ways to tell if they need glasses.

Squinting

If your child is suffering from nearsightedness or farsightedness, they may start to squint. Squinting is a natural reaction, as it reduces the size of the object they're trying to see. If your child is old enough, ask them if making their eyes smaller is helping them to see better. Some children may not realise they are squinting, though, so you should arrange an appointment with an optometrist.

Head Tilting

Head tilting is a classic sign of amblyopia, which some people also refer to as lazy eye. When your child tilts their head to one side, they're trying to compensate for the misalignment that amblyopia causes. Another way they may address the misalignment is by covering one of their eyes. By arranging for an eye appointment, you can soon figure out whether a misalignment is a problem.

Eye Rubbing

Eye rubbing can be a sign of a few different conditions. One of the commonest is conjunctivitis, which is highly contagious and can cause the type of irritation that results in eye rubbing. Children may also rub their eyes when they're under strain. While conjunctivitis won't always require a trip to see an eye specialist, any condition that's causing strain warrants an optometrist's attention. It may also be a sign of eye allergies, which are easy to treat.

Headaches

If your little one is complaining of headaches, it could be because their eyes are having to work too hard. Children can't always identify the location of a headache as well as an adult can. As such, they may describe their headache as being general when really it rests behind their eyes. Try observing your child to see if they hold objects close to their face to look at them. If so, there's a chance that their headaches are due to eye strain.

Difficulty in School 

Finally, one of the first signs your child may need to see an optometrist is that they're struggling at school. Children who have problems with their vision may find reading and writing difficult. So if their teacher is reporting difficulties and you can't figure out why they're happening, consider taking them for an eye exam.