Why Children Need Professional Eye Care
Children’s eye care is essential for your kid’s overall health. Children’s eyes help them to discover their surroundings and learn about the world. They are the windows to the world. Even so, there are many problems associated with the eyes. While a regular doctor can treat general cases, moderate to severe cases require the expertise of an optometrist.
An optometrist conducts vision tests and regular eye health services. The children’s optometrist is the primary care doctor for eyes. You should take them to a children’s eye clinic if your child has eyesight issues.
A children’s eye doctor accurately diagnoses the problems and prescribes an ideal treatment option. The children’s optometrist may prescribe corrective lenses or glasses. They may also recommend eye drops and additional medication that enhance eye health.
Cases that a Children’s Optometrist handles
- Visual clarity/acuity
- Eye alignment
- Eye movement
- Color blindness
- Peripheral vision
- Eye pressure
- Depth perception
Types of prescription to expect include glasses, corrective lenses, topical medications such as ointments and eye drops, and oral medication. It would help if you visited a children’s eye clinic once you notice symptoms in your child’s eyes. Typically, a child’s vision fully develops within the first year. Therefore, it would be best to start noting signs and symptoms about their eyesight when you see them.
Signs and Symptoms of Eye Defects in Children
Children have watery eyes because the ducts that ferry tears away from the eyes’ surface are underdeveloped. If they remain watery past the kid’s first birthday, you should seek medical attention. For older children, signs include;
- Headache and eye strain
- Frequently rubbing eyes
- Mis-alignment of the eyes
- Frequently closing eyes when reading
- Problems reading (losing place while reading or using a finger as a guide to their eyes)
- Issues with eye coordination
- Light sensitivity
- Trouble recognizing shape and colors at around age 3
The problem may be correctable if you identify it at an early stage. Eye professionals, therefore, recommend taking your child for routine eye checks. The optometrist may identify a potential problem and start treatment immediately.
Children’s eye tests are very critical if your family has a history of eye problems. Notably, your child does not have to know how to read or speak for eye tests to be conducted. Several tests to determine eye health include;
- Red reflex test
- Attention to visual objects
- Pupil reflex test
- Range of movement tests
- Visual acuity test with shapes or pictures
- Color deficiency test
- Refraction test
Your child should have several tests between birth and their early years in life. The tests should be conducted at certain intervals, at 6 months, before starting school, and annually after starting school. You can visit Dr. Allyson Tang Optometrist – Scarborough to have the children’s eye tests. She is an optometrist in Scarborough, ON.
Causes of Eye Problems in Kids
- Lazy eye – poor vision development in one eye
- Short-sightedness – is commonly known as myopia. Objects at distance appear blurry.
- Squints – also known as strabismus, it’s when the eyes are misaligned.
- Childhood cataracts – Are cloudy patches in the lens of the eye since birth.
- Color vision deficiency – is also referred to as color blindness. Just like the name suggests, it implies difficulty in differentiating different colors. It’s more prevalent in boys.
- Long-sightedness – it is also called hyperopia. It is when near objects are out of focus, but distant objects are clear.
Conclusion
Since children’s eye care is critical, you should make routine visits at a children’s eye clinic. Besides, you may not always detect eye problems in your kid easily. If you wonder where to find one near you, look no more, Dr. Allyson Tang Optometrist is a highly-skilled optometrist in Scarborough, ON. She has provided excellent eye care to pediatric patients of all ages. Book an appointment for your child’s eye care.