視力問題或有損孩子發育

Poor eyesight can make life harder for people at any age, but it can really take a toll on children's school performance and well-being, vision experts say.

視力專家說，視力差會讓任何年紀的人的生活變得更加困難，而且真的能嚴重影響孩子的幸福和在校表現。

If left untreated, certain eye-related conditions can lead to developmental delays, learning issues and vision loss, warned specialists from the National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health.

美國國家兒童視力和眼睛健康中心的專家警告道，如果不加以治療，某些與眼睛相關的疾病或能導致孩子發育遲緩、學習障礙和視力下降。

"The good news is that many vision problems in children can be treated successfully if detected early," Hugh Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness, said in a news release from the organization. Prevent Blindness is the oldest nonprofit eye health and safety group in the United States.

"好消息是如果發現的早，兒童的很多視力問題都是能成功治好的，"美國眼盲防止（Prevent Blindness）組織的主席和首席執行官休·帕裏在該組織的新聞發佈會上說道。眼盲防止協會是美國最古老的眼健康和安全非盈利組織。

Vision problems affect more than one in 20 preschoolers and one-quarter of school-aged children, the eye experts said.

眼科專家說，視力問題影響了超過百分之五的學齡前兒童和四分之一的學齡兒童。

The group urges parents and guardians to have children receive routine vision screening even if they aren't experiencing any vision problems. If children show any signs of eye trouble, they should undergo a comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.

該組織敦促父母和監護人：即使在孩子沒有任何視力問題的情況下，也要讓他們接受常規的視力檢查。如果孩子有任何眼睛出現問題的跡象，則應由驗光師或眼科醫生對他們進行全面的眼部檢查。

Children usually don't complain about their vision, the group pointed out. But they might have nearsightedness (myopia), which is trouble seeing things at a distance. Kids could also have farsightedness (hyperopia), which is trouble seeing things at close range. There are also more serious eye conditions, including:

該組織指出，孩子通常不會抱怨自己視力不好。但他們可能近視，看遠方的事物比較吃力。孩子也有可能遠視，看近處的事物比較困難。還有更加嚴重的眼部疾病，包括：

Amblyopia, or "lazy eye". -- This is the leading cause of vision loss among kids. Typically, one eye becomes stronger than the other, causing the brain to disregard the image of the weaker eye. If left untreated, the weaker eye may suffer vision loss that can't be corrected. About 2 percent of children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years have amblyopia.

弱勢。--這是兒童視力下降的主要原因。通常，一隻眼睛會變得比另一隻更強，導致大腦忽視較弱眼睛的圖像。如果不加以治療，較弱的那隻眼睛可能會視力下降，再也無法矯正。在6個月大至6歲的兒童中，百分之二的小孩患有弱勢。

Strabismus, or "crossed eyes". -- This occurs when the eyes' muscles do not align and work together properly. Up to 4 percent of young children have strabismus. If left untreated, this disorder can lead to amblyopia and vision loss.

斜眼。--當眼部肌肉沒有對齊、不能正常工作時，斜眼症狀就會出現。高達百分之四的小孩患有斜眼。如果不加以治療，這一疾病可導致弱勢和視力下降。

Astigmatism. This occurs if the eye's cornea or lens has an irregular shape. If not corrected, it can cause blurry vision at any distance. Up to 28 percent of children aged 5 to 17 have astigmatism. The condition is more common among kids who are nearsighted or farsighted, the eye experts said.

散光。如果眼角膜或眼晶體形狀不規則，眼睛就會散光。如果不加以矯正，則會看遠看近都不清楚。在5至17歲的孩子中，高達百分之二十八的孩子眼睛散光。眼科專家表示，對於近視或遠視的孩子來說，這一症狀更爲常見。