|
Raising a Family
Does Your Child Have a Vision Problem?
Regular eye exams catch problems early, when they still can be corrected
You just had your child’s vision checked a month ago, but now he’s complaining of headaches, rubbing his eyes a lot and squinting. Should you make an appointment for another eye exam? In a word, yes.
“Vision problems can develop quickly in childhood, and the screenings to detect them are easy and inexpensive,” says pediatrician Anthony Dimick, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network.
Without prompt diagnosis and treatment, certain types of vision problems get worse and can even result in blindness, he says. An example is lazy eye (amblyopia), in which one eye is weaker than the other. Over time, the good eye grows stronger and the weak eye weaker. Eventually, the brain stops registering input from the weak eye, causing blindness in that eye.
Here’s a rundown of common childhood vision concerns.
Infants and toddlers—Your doctor will inspect your newborn’s eyes for tumors, cataracts, congenital glaucoma and other abnormalities. These conditions are treated with medication, corrective lenses or surgery. After that, during well-baby visits your little one will be checked for eye misalignments and tracking problems. These disorders are corrected with special lenses, patching, or in severe cases, surgery.
Preschool and school age—Regular eye chart tests begin around age 4, to detect nearsightedness (poor distance vision), farsightedness (poor closeup vision) and other problems. If your child is too young to recognize letters, your health care clinician can use a pictorial eye chart designed for preschoolers. Vision problems at this age usually can be treated with corrective lenses.
Want to Know More about the different types of eye care professionals and how they can help your child? Call 610-402-CARE or click here.
Published from Healthy You Magazine, November-December 2007
This page last updated 10/25/08 07:45 AM
 |
