Many children and newborn newborns suffer from a range of vision problems. The earlier these problems are recognised and addressed, the better. The treatment of children’s eye problems is the focus of Pediatric ophthalmology.
Early diagnosis of vision-related problems in children is aided by pediatric ophthalmology. Eye defects can render a child blind for life if not repaired within six months of birth. The optic nerve is still developing throughout the first six months of life, and if eye problems are not treated at this time, irreversible damage may occur.
Similarly, young children may have a range of vision problems without being aware of it. This is why incorporating pediatric ophthalmology into the curriculum is crucial.
Also Read: Oculoplasty
What happens during your child’s eye exam?
Your youngster will begin with a series of eye exams to determine their eye health. Your child’s exam will most likely last many hours. Two or three of our doctors typically do the tests. During the first phase of testing, we will discover:
- How well your child perceives local and distant items If your child is unable to read, we can check his or her eyesight using screenings that may include pictures or shapes.
- Depth perception in your child
- How well your child’s eyes align and move together to monitor items (done by an orthoptist).
- Your child’s peripheral vision, also known as side vision.
- In the second part of the exam, we may:
- Put eye drops in your child’s eyes to dilate or widen the pupils.
- After around 30 minutes, an ophthalmologist will inspect the interior of the eyes through the widened pupils to see if there are any problems and to determine whether your child requires corrective lenses.
- Examine your child’s eyes using special lights and lenses to see if he or she needs glasses and to rule out any issues.
What Is the Role of a Pediatric Ophthalmologist?
Optometrists and ophthalmologists can both check children’s eyes, test their vision, and, if necessary, prescribe glasses or contacts. Optometrists are not medical doctors, however they can prescribe medication for some eye conditions. Ophthalmologists are trained to identify and treat all eye disorders and problems.
- Dilate or expand your child’s pupils with eye drops.
- After around 30 minutes, an ophthalmologist will inspect the inner of your child’s eyes through the widened pupils to see if there are any problems and to determine whether your child needs corrective lenses.
- Examine your child’s eyes using special lights and lenses to determine whether or not he or she requires glasses and to rule out any problems.
What Does a Pediatric Ophthalmologist Do?
Optometrists and ophthalmologists can both examine children’s eyes, test their vision, and prescribe glasses or contacts as needed. Despite the fact that optometrists are not medical doctors, they can prescribe medication for some eye conditions. All eye disorders and issues can be diagnosed and treated by ophthalmologists.
Young toddlers are typically unable to describe or respond to medical problems. Pediatric ophthalmologists that are experienced at treating children in a way that helps them feel at ease and comfortable. They use child-sized equipment and eye exams that are tailored to the child’s developmental stage.
Pediatric ophthalmologists must first attend medical school and then additional training in eye disorders to become ophthalmologists. They are then given more training in recognising and treating child eye disorders. The schooling process takes 13 years and consists of the following steps:
- Bachelor of Science in Medicine (four years)
- A one-year internship
- Residency in ophthalmology (three years)
- Fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology (at least one year)
Reasons to Consult a Pediatric Ophthalmologist
During routine checkups, your child’s paediatrician or family doctor will examine their vision. If they or you notice a concern with your child’s eyes, they may refer you to a pediatric ophthalmologist. The following symptoms indicate that a youngster may have an eye problem:
- Light sensitivity
- Crossed or straying eyes
- Redness or moist eyes, persistent pus or crust
- They frequently massage their eyes.
- They are squinting and tilting their heads to look.
- Doctors prescribe a comprehensive eye exam for
- Children born too soon
- Those born with a condition that increases their chances of having eye issues, such as Down syndrome
- Children who have a learning disability or a developmental delay
- Those with a family history of childhood visual difficulties.
Let us nip it in the bud with pediatric ophthalmology!
Comprehensive eye exams should be a regular component of your child’s healthcare regimen. While squinting and drooping eyelids are obvious, parents may struggle to spot problems such as lazy eye and refractive flaws. Especially since most children do not raise the matter to their parents since they typically lack the ability to recognise that their visual skills have changed. It is thus the primary responsibility of parents to detect any changes in their children’s behavioural patterns, such as watching TV from a close distance, straining excessively to read from a book, or suddenly performing poorly in school.
If any of these symptoms sound similar, it’s time to consult a pediatric ophthalmologist about your child’s eye health.
Pediatric Ophthalmology – Ensuring our children’s future eyesight
Bharti Eye Foundation takes pediatric ophthalmology seriously, with skilled specialists and surgeons working around the clock to guarantee that our future generation’s vision is suitably protected. Prescription glasses and eye workouts are initially prescribed for children who squint or have sluggish eyes. In fact, Dr. S Bharti’s institution was one of the first to adopt eye yoga as a rehabilitation approach. It is recommended that parents send their children for an evaluation if their children were born out of wedlock between relatives or if both parents use glasses owing to refractive abnormalities.
Also Read: Dry eye | Bharti Eye Foundation
