Children and their eyes are different from Adults.
The child's eyes and the vision system is growing and
developing especially during the first 8-10 years of
life. Good quality clear vision is essential for normal
vision development and proper alignment of eyes.
Therefore it is very important to properly evaluate in
details the vision of a child, and prescribe glasses or
other relevant treatment if required at the earliest.
However, the children often do not report poor vision
or eye problem to their parents, and it is also more
challenging to assess their vision accurately.
What are the common vision disorders affecting children?
• Refractive errors or need for glasses
• Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)
• Convergence weakness and Eye Strain
• Squint or Cross Eye or Strabismus
• Watering of Eyes
• Drooping of lids (Ptosis)
• Congenital Cataract
• Congenital Glaucoma
• Redness of Eyes (Allergies or Infections)
What are the warning signs of vision problems in children?
• Constant rubbing of eyes
• Extreme light sensitivity
• Poor ability to focus
• Difficulty in reading or close work
• Headache
• Squint or Cross Eye
• Tilting of head to one side
• White reflex on photo
• Droopy eyelids
Why does a child need glasses?
The child may need glasses, if he/she is unable to
see clearly for distance, or if he/she has an eyestrain, or in case of deviation of eyes. It is very
important that the child uses the prescribed glasses
regularly for proper development of the vision
system.
How is the child tested for glasses?
For a thorough eye checkup, the pupils may need to
be dilated for determining the right glasses power.
The child may need to come for more than one visit to
confirm the glasses power. For very young children,
some special charts or instruments may be needed for
accurate assessment.
What is Squint (Strabismus) or Cross Eye, and how is it treated?
Squint is the misalignment of the eyes. The causes
may be refractive error (need for glasses), muscle
weakness or congenital misalignment of muscles. It
is very important to treat this condition at the earliest
with help of a combination of glasses, exercises
and/or surgery. It is important to treat squint at the
earliest to maintain and regain good alignment and
binocular vision and depth perception. Any other
associated problem like Amblyopia (Lazy Eye),
Cataract, Ptosis etc. is treated before the squint is
operated upon.
What is Amblyopia or Lazy Eye?
Amblyopia or Lazy Eye is a condition where one or
both eye does not develop good vision due to need of
glasses, squint or other causes. The child may need
occlusion therapy or some special exercises to treat
this condition. The earlier the treatment is started, the
better are the results.
What other diseases can affect a child?
Child can have Congenital Cataract or Glaucoma,
which needs to be treated as soon as possible to ensure
proper development of his/her vision system. Some
children may have drooping of eyelids (Ptosis),
which requires an evaluation and a surgery, if
required.
When should the children get eye examination routinely?
An infant should get a comprehensive eye
examination at the age of 6 months. Children
should then get an eye checkup at around 3 years of
age when they start their Kindergarten school and
then at 5-6 years of age.
What are the special requirements for examination of children?
Examination of children requires a child friendly
dedicated area where the child gets comfortable. A
thorough evaluation requires an experienced
examiner with lots of patience and some special
charts and equipment. Special vision charts with
photos or symbols, devices to test depth
perception, eye alignment etc. are needed. Parent
education and dietary advice is also necessary for
good eye health.
What happens during an eye examination?
• Vision and Visual acuity
• Need for eye glasses (refraction)
• Pupil response to light
• Co-ordination of eye muscles and alignment of eyes Depth perception
• Colour vision
• Dilated retinal evaluation, if required
Synergy Eye Care provides a dedicated child friendly Pediatric Eye Unit, where an experienced Optometrist and Ophthalmologist take care of the little kids with the help of special charts, equipment etc., especially designed for the little children.
Disclaimer: Information published here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice. If you suspect that you have a health problem, please consult your doctor immediately
