Signs of a Vision Misalignment in Children

We’ve compiled a brief list of the signs of a vision misalignment in children. Vision misalignment often goes undetected in children and the result can vary from distracting to distressing–read our list and keep your own eyes out for these signs of a vision misalignment in children.

1. Head Tilt – One of the most obvious indicators of a vision misalignment in children and adults, the head tilt is the body’s way of compensating for misaligned vision. If you notice your child cocking his/her head, especially when you’re talking to them, it’s a probable sign of a vision misalignment.
2. Closing One Eye – if your child tends to read by shutting one eye, it’s a sign of misaligned vision as the eyes are seeing double, blurry, or “moving” words.
3. Wall Hugger – if your child tends to walk close to walls or grazes the wall with their hand or body, this is their way of grounding themselves. When the two eyes don’t work as a team, the brain receives two different images—which means a person can’t rely on their vision for balance or steadiness because their eyes aren’t working in unison. If your child doesn’t walk in in a straight line–veers to one side–this too is another tell-tale sign of a vision misalignment.
4. The Head Turn – does your child turn his/her head to look at you with one eye when you speak? Has his/her teacher mentioned this odd way of making eye contact? By turning the head, they create one dominate eye and it relieves eye strain that occurs when they attempt to use the two eyes together.
5. Head “Smoosh” – Children who prop their head up on one hand often “smoosh” their cheek up so that one eye is shut. This is another compensatory method used by those who suffer from a vision misalignment. By shutting one eye, the one open eye can better focus on what’s happening because there is no conflict of two different images being sent to the brain.
6. Motion Sickness – Children who get nauseated, motion sick, or vomit from being in the car (or boat, plane, train, etc.) may suffer from a vision misalignment. When the two eyes don’t work together as a team, the result can be sickening. Add in a moving vehicle and the overload of images being sent to the brain can cause the body to be nauseated and sick.
7. ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia – Has a teacher or another person mentioned that your child seems to exhibit signs of a learning disability? This could be accurate, but it could also be caused by misaligned vision. Given these common 7 symptoms of a vision misalignment, it can easily be mistaken as an attention or reading problem. When a child’s vision is misaligned, reading–and any task that requires attention–is not just harder, but downright distressing. It’s imperative that children be tested for a vision misalignment when it comes to reading and learning issues.

A learning disability can be more challenging when a vision misalignment is also present—the two conditions are not mutually exclusive. A vision misalignment often masquerades as an attention or learning problem. In any case, vision alignment should be checked to make sure the diagnosis and treatment are accurate and effective.

Vision misalignments make themselves known in a variety of ways, from seemingly innocuous to physically debilitating. Often these symptoms are not ascribed to vision. Yet every day we witness the moment patients place aligning glasses on for the first time. Almost immediately, the response is one of immense relief. “Oh!” they say. “This is how it’s supposed to be!”

To screen for a vision misalignment, complete the questionnaire at IsItMyEyes.com.