If you notice your child narrowing their eyes or tilting their head to see more clearly, this squinting behaviour is often a sign that something is affecting their vision. Children frequently squint to compensate for a refractive error, using the narrowing of the eyelids to act like a pinhole and sharpen a blurred image.
Myopia (short-sightedness) is a particularly common cause, with children squinting when trying to see things in the distance — such as a classroom board, television, or faces across a room. The condition often develops or worsens between the ages of 6 and 14 and tends to progress steadily through adolescence.
Squinting can also refer to strabismus — a misalignment of the eyes in which one or both eyes turn inward, outward, upward, or downward. This is a separate condition that should be assessed promptly to prevent amblyopia (lazy eye) from developing, as the brain may begin to suppress the image from the turned eye.
If you notice your child squinting regularly, arrange an eye test with a paediatric optometrist or your GP for a referral to an ophthalmologist. Do not dismiss it as a habit — squinting is the eye’s way of compensating for a visual problem.
Both refractive errors and strabismus can be treated very effectively in children, particularly when identified early. Glasses, patching therapy for amblyopia, or surgical correction for strabismus can produce excellent long-term results when treatment is started during the critical period of visual development.
