Children often don't know what they're supposed to see, so parents should be alert for these signs of trouble. Any of these symptoms are good reasons for parents to consult an ophthalmologist. Nearsighted children will want to sit close to the blackboard, movie screen, or television. Obviously, any vision problem can interfere with education and possibly with social adjustment. Preschoolers should take an eye test provided by the National Society to Prevent Blindness.
Parents can use it at home to discover whether a child needs a professional evaluation.
The test is available free, in English and Spanish, from the Society, at 500 East Remington Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173. The eye is often compared to an extraordinarily sensitive camera. Figure 30.1 traces how light rays enter the eye and are turned into sensory signals interpreted by the brain as sight. This circle of bone the eyebrow, cheek-bone, and the bridge of the nose safely nestles the eye away from most physical harm. The bony housing of the orbit continues around the back of the eye like a camera body.