Identifying vision impairment
Children may start school without a diagnosis of vision loss or acquire a vision loss while at school. It is therefore important for school staff to look out for any of the possible signs, or indicators, of vision impairment. The following may indicate a potential vision loss:
Behavioural signs
- Tilts or turns head to one side while looking
- Does not notice people or objects when placed in certain areas
- Responds to toys only when there is an accompanying sound
- Moves hand or object back and forth in front of eyes
- Squints, frowns or scowls when looking at objects
- Consistently over or under reaches
- Cannot see a dropped toy
- Brings objects to one eye rather than using both eyes to view
- Covers or closes one eye frequently
- A parent/carer has concern about the way the child uses vision
- Places an object within a few inches of eyes to look
- Trips on kerbs or steps
- Thrusts head forward or backward when looking at objects
- Eye-poking, rocking, staring at bright lights frequently
Medical signs
- Family history of eye conditions other than glasses wear or age-related cataracts
- Meningitis or encephalitis
- Maternal history of infection during pregnancy (CMV, toxoplasmosis, rubella, STD)
- Premature birth of 36 weeks or less
- Eyes make involuntary, constant, quick movements or appear to have a shaking movement (nystagmus)
- Head trauma episode
- Seizure disorder
- Birth weight of less than 3 lbs (or 1300 grams)
- Neurological issues
- Significant prenatal exposure to alcohol or drugs including prescription drugs
- Eyes appear to turn inward, outward, upward or downward