Children do the darnedest things. Sometimes those things can be reasons for concern and other times they may just be passing stages. Let’s look at excessive blinking.
Squinting
When we squint our eyes, we improve our distance vision by physically changing the shape of our eyes to better focus the light on the retina. It also restricts excess light allowing us to focus primarily on the item of interest.
When done in excess, it usually indicates that your child is trying to overcome blurry vision. This is often due to the early symptoms of nearsightedness or myopia. At that point it’s prudent to have your child’s eyes examined.
Squinting can, in turn, cause watering of the eyes, which often leads to excessive blinking.
Blinking
Blinking protects our eyes from dust and bright light. It also spreads tears over the eyes and keeps them moist. With newborn babies, blinking is actually quite infrequent. As we age, blinking increases and averages about 14 to 17 times a minute as an adult.
Excessive blinking can be caused by a number of things, including the squinting associated with nearsightedness that hasn’t been addressed or if a lens prescription needs to be updated. Other causes include conjunctivitis (pink eye), something in the eye, dry eyes, and excess watering from seasonal allergies.
Another potential causes is blepharitis, which is an inflammation of the eyelids. This irritation can lead to excessive blinking. It can normally be alleviated by warm compresses. But, if it’s reached the infection stage, your child may need antibiotics.
Facial tics, including blinking, can be caused by Tourette’s Syndrome,, which starts between the ages of 3 and 10. However, this is fairly rare.
We Can Help
Squinting and excessive blinking can be signs of something serious. As you monitor your child over time, if things don’t improve or the cause doesn’t suggest itself, it’s time to see an eye doctor.
We have the expertise and experience to identify problems, recommend treatment, or advise you in seeking further care. Plus, we’re very good at providing the glasses and contacts that your child might need to address nearsightedness.
Give us a call and let’s get started providing you and your child superb vision care.
Use our contact form or call us at 972-612-2099.
Disclaimer: The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
