Identifying vision impairment

Children may start school without a diagnosis of vision loss or acquire a vision loss while at school. It is therefore important for school staff to look out for any of the possible signs, or indicators, of vision impairment. The following may indicate a potential vision loss:

Behavioural signs

• Tilts or turns head to one side while looking
• Does not notice people or objects when placed in certain areas
• Responds to toys only when there is an accompanying sound
• Moves hand or object back and forth in front of eyes
• Squints, frowns or scowls when looking at objects
• Consistently over or under reaches
• Cannot see a dropped toy
• Brings objects to one eye rather than using both eyes to view
• Covers or closes one eye frequently
• A parent/carer has concern about the way the child uses vision
• Places an object within a few inches of eyes to look
• Trips on kerbs or steps
• Thrusts head forward or backward when looking at objects
• Eye-poking, rocking, staring at bright lights frequently

Medical signs

• Family history of eye conditions other than glasses wear or age-related cataracts
• Meningitis or encephalitis
• Maternal history of infection during pregnancy (CMV, toxoplasmosis, rubella, STD)
• Premature birth of 36 weeks or less
• Eyes make involuntary, constant, quick movements or appear to have a shaking movement (nystagmus)
• Head trauma episode
• Seizure disorder
• Birth weight of less than 3 lbs (or 1300 grams)
• Neurological issues
• Significant prenatal exposure to alcohol or drugs including prescription drugs
• Eyes appear to turn inward, outward, upward or downward