Published: 7 April 2020 | Last updated: 15 September 2026 | Publisher: Smart Vision Optometry
At a glance
- Squinting, blurred vision, headaches or holding material unusually close can be reasons to arrange an eye examination, but no single behaviour confirms a vision problem.
- A comprehensive eye examination can assess visual acuity, refractive error, eye alignment and eye health.
- Reading or learning difficulties have many possible causes and should not be diagnosed from eye symptoms or reading behaviour alone.
Signs that may justify an eye examination
Children do not always recognise or describe blurred or uncomfortable vision. Parents and teachers may notice persistent squinting, sitting very close to a screen, holding books close, covering one eye, frequent headaches, eye strain or difficulty focusing. These observations are prompts for assessment, not diagnoses: similar behaviours can have non-visual causes.
Myopia, hyperopia and other refractive errors
Refractive errors occur when the eye does not focus light correctly on the retina. Myopia generally makes distant objects look blurred, while hyperopia can make near vision difficult; astigmatism can blur or distort vision at different distances. The National Eye Institute lists blurred vision as the most common symptom and notes that an eye examination is used for diagnosis.
Reading and learning need careful interpretation
Losing a place, skipping lines, avoiding reading or finding schoolwork difficult does not by itself prove an eye-tracking or visual-processing disorder. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists advises that dyslexia is a language-based learning disorder and that children with suspected learning difficulties need appropriate educational assessment. An eye examination can identify co-existing refractive, alignment or eye-health issues, but it does not diagnose dyslexia.
What parents can do
Record when the behaviour occurs, whether it affects one or both eyes, and whether the child reports blur, double vision, pain or headaches. Share those observations with the examining optometrist. Read what a children’s eye examination can and cannot tell you, or visit our children’s vision and eye-health information. For an appointment at Bondi or Mosman, contact Smart Vision Optometry.
Children’s vision questions
What signs may suggest that a child needs an eye examination?
Persistent squinting, blurred vision, headaches, eye strain, covering one eye or holding material unusually close can justify an examination. These signs are not diagnostic on their own.
Can reading difficulties prove that a child has an eye-tracking problem?
No. Reading difficulties have many possible causes. An eye examination can identify co-existing eye or vision issues, while suspected dyslexia or learning difficulty needs an appropriate educational assessment.
What can a comprehensive eye examination assess?
An examination can assess visual acuity, refractive error, eye alignment, focusing and eye health. The findings guide whether correction, monitoring, further testing or referral is appropriate.
