Parents and teachers should keep a strict watch on any peculiarities in the way the child uses his eyes. Headache can indicate a need for glasses particularly if it begins with or follows a period of reading. All children who are not progressing well at school should be investigated for defective eyesight and the need for glasses.

Generally the need is to correct distant vision. Children who can’t read the blackboard are often too embarrased to mention this fact and are accused of not paying attention. Or they may think that everyone has the same trouble in seeing. Question your child if this school report is poor as to whether he can clearly read the blackboard. Does he suffer from headaches? Are single objects seen as two and not in line?

A child with poor near vision will be unable to read his books. If there is a history of poor of defective childhood vision in the family, then it would be wise to have your child’s eyes tested when school commences. Your doctor can arrange this. You should check on the alignment of your child’s eyes. Do they turn in or out? Squint, as this is commonly called may be associated with the need for glasses.

Adults as they approach the mid-forties often suffer from defective near vision. They have to move the pages further and further away from their eyes in order to read the print. Headache over the eyes can occur. Generally the loss of distant vision appears later than the loss of near vision. This can be associated with a grateful failure to see distant objects clearly.

By the age of 60 most people do need glasses for both far and near vision to be perfect. You may have become used to less than perfect vision without realising the need for glasses. If you are worried, get your eyesight tested.