Visual Impairment
The eye is a complicated sensory organ. A child's ability to take in information through sight is important for mobility, safety, performing tasks, and learning (i.e., following classroom presentations and reading textbooks).
Some types of visual impairment, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, are relatively mild and can be corrected with glasses. Other visual impairments are more severe and require surgery, special education, and classroom materials.
Low Vision
A child who has low vision has only partial sight (even with eyeglasses or surgery). Low vision can be the result of illness, injury, or a condition since birth. Children with low vision may need adapted materials at school (books on tape, large print, or raised-line paper) and instruction in mobility training, at least at the beginning of a new school year.
Legally Blind
A child's ability to see falls on a continuum. Some children can see well without glasses. Others have some vision impairment (low vision). At another point in the range, a child is considered legally blind. The American Foundation for Blind defines legally blind as having 20/200 vision or less with correction in the better eye.
It is possible for a child to be considered legally blind, have need of specialized educational materials, and yet walk independently using his residual sight and/or skills learned through orientation and mobility training. Other children who are blind use a cane or walk with a sighted person serving as a guide. Typically a guide dog is not used until the child reaches his mid to late teens.
Essential
Boost your child's self-esteem through communication with other children who are blind. A free, Braille pen pal program (Braille Slate Pals) for children in kindergarten through twelfth grade is cosponsored by The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB).
Strabismus
Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are not focused in the same direction. One eye may point at an angle (wandering eye), or the eyes may point inward (cross-eyed). Strabismus can often be corrected with surgery, with the use of an eye patch, or through exercises to strengthen the eye muscles.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism (often incorrectly called “stigmatism”) is a condition caused by an irregularly shaped lens or cornea. Astigmatism can result in blurred vision, tired eyes, and headaches. As in any visual disorder, there are varying degrees of astigmatism. Corrective contact lenses or surgery may be the treatment for astigmatism.
