Eye Spy

Vision Problems among preschoolers may be more common than anyone suspected, two new studies show.  Left untreated, even mild vision issues can lead to permanent vision loss.  Those are the conclusions of two large studies of nearly 10,000 young children ages 6 months to 6 years funded by the National Institutes of health.  Before these studies, vision specialists believed that one in 20 preschoolers had vision problems.  This new research shows that one in four preschoolers may have vision disorders, including near-sightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism, crossed eyes (strabismus), and lazy eye (amblyopia). Researchers know that the last two can result in permanent vision loss if not treated early in life.  The new studies show that children with even mild nearsightedness, astigmatism, and farsightedness are at increased risk of more serious problems.