Kids reading/holding book too near their eyes/face

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#205093 29-Oct-2016 12:21

Our kids read a lot. But I'm worried ahead of their eye test because they hold their books literally 5-6 inches from the face, one of them puts the book on the bed and lies on his belly and his eyes are also 5-6 inches from the book. No amount of reminding does any good. Any tips from parents here?

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#1660370 29-Oct-2016 12:31

Get their eyes checked in case they have them that close because they need to?

vexxxboy

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#1660380 29-Oct-2016 12:54

they are reading , be grateful and the distance from the book is where they are comfortable to read. i would just let them be, If they start getting headaches or really sore eyes you can then tell them to move back.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

MikeAqua

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#1660401 29-Oct-2016 13:20

Either take them to an optometrist or stop worrying.

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#1660404 29-Oct-2016 13:24

Many kids have excellent vision and can see things a lot closer than adults and can see a lot more detail. As long as they are playing outside and looking at things in the medium and far distance, I would not worry about it. A basic eye test will pick up any genuine problems and it looks like you have that scheduled.

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#1660409 29-Oct-2016 13:32

My daughter did this and we took her to specsaver as they will do free tests for under 16 year olds. The tests they did was very through. In the end we found out that she needed glasses.
Go and see spec savers, got nothing to lose.

georgect435

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#1667771 11-Nov-2016 07:46

Do they watch television? If they face any problem watching TV clearly, then I think they might have an issue. I hope there isn't any. But there will be if they continue to do in this fashion. Two of my acquaintance (they are brother) used to read a lots in their childhood. In fact, they still have this good habit. But they need to wear high power glasses in their early teen. Both of them are higher myopia patient. Their eye didn't come from the family (surely). Their doctor blame their reading and reading only for this problem. So, you better be careful from now about your kids and they need to be careful as well.

wasabi2k

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#1667799 11-Nov-2016 08:46

To the above: Errr - no. Reading books will not break your eyes.

Take them for an eye test for peace of mind - otherwise be happy they are reading.

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#1667836 11-Nov-2016 10:07

My 8 year old son does this too but all eye tests he has had say he has perfect vision.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

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#1667845 11-Nov-2016 10:18

@joker97 PM sent

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#1667853 11-Nov-2016 10:32

I would get their eyes checked. Are they school age? if so ask their teachers if they have any eyesight concerns, note down what they say and pass that onto the Optician. It does take a while for kids eyes to develop, this is what I /my parents were told when I had a similar reading style. I did however need to get glasses at age six and have been wearing them ever since. My condition was not picked up by an Optician but an Ophthalmologist.

k1w1k1d

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#1667896 11-Nov-2016 10:56

Spend the money and go to a proper eye specialist(Ophthalmologist) to get their eyes tested. Eyesight problems with children can lead to learning difficulties and behavioural problems.

An eye specialist found that I have raised pressure in my eyes, especially the left one, caused by pseudoexfoliation. This can lead to glaucoma. I have yearly check ups to monitor the problem.

The shopping mall optometrist that my employer sent me to for safety glasses didn't pick this up, even when I questioned them on my eye pressures.

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#1667943 11-Nov-2016 11:57

I certainly recall as a kid I could read things very close to my eyes or far away.

Sadly now my arms are no longer long enough - nevermind - glasses resolves this issue.

I would say if a kid is holding a book that close, they have found that is where it looks clearest to them. There would be a pretty good chance they need glasses so they can actually read it when its further away.

Get it checked.

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#1667946 11-Nov-2016 12:07

As a kid who didnt read books but sat on the computer a lot of the time. Not much in the last 2 years as i have become quite social.

I can honestly say it has affected my vision. It takes longer for my eyes to focus in on an object and also centering an object in my vision is also a lot more difficult. It has also predominantly made me use my right eye. I believe this is due to a screen not having any depth so my left eye i have trained not to use. I think this can relate to books.

I still have 20/20 clarity and if i give it long enough (usually a few seconds) i can focus in on anything so dont go worrying about me :)

If i close one eye also it takes a long time before the other one can see clearly, Quite a lot of darker areas in my vision.

lissie

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#1674921 21-Nov-2016 12:20

As a kid my mother drove me crazy telling me to not hold the book so close. At 54 I can still prop the book on the end of my nose! For me it's because I have one much weaker eye - so I don't have "true" binocular vision (can't catch a ball to save my life).

I've had glasses since I was 18 but that's unrelated. I 2nd the comment to go to a real opthamaologist - not just a mall. The malls may pick it up - that's how I was diagnosed with glaucoma in my 30, or they may not - it's not their core business - their core business is to sell glasses.

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pctek

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#1682525 5-Dec-2016 14:18

So?

I can read with the book touching my nose.

I can't read it held way out past my arms, whereas husband is the total opposite.

He doesn't read much I read all the time and have always done so.

He can't thread a needle either for the same reason, I know which eyes I prefer.

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