Pediatrics
For children, good vision is extremely important because it is so intrinsically involved with learning and development. Regular eye examinations are important to maintain proper eye health, even if your child does not yet speak and since some serious eye disorders produce no early warning symptoms. Although prevention is the best defense, eye problems or injuries still can occur suddenly and unexpectedly. And when they do, recognizing their signs and symptoms and knowing what to do is vital to preserving your child's vision.
Any of the following signs or symptoms suggest your child has a serious eye problems. If your child experiences any of the following, see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.
Eye Movement in Children
Many children enter the world with less than 100 percent of their expected visual capacity, a deficiency that is not always obvious to parents or medical professionals. One sign of possible eye problems, however, is eye movement. Eye movements tell a lot about vision, even if a child is pre-verbal. How well a child follows faces or large objects is a clue to his or her visual abilities. Another indication of a possible disorder is unusual jiggling of a child's eye(s), called nystagmus. These eye movements can be constant or intermittent. They can be horizontal, vertical, oblique, torsional (circular) or combinations of the above. Thus, the study of eye movement can provide important information regarding sight.
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Albinism
Albinism is an inherited condition in which the body is unable to make melanin, the natural chemical needed for skin pigmentation. Children with this condition have very fair skin and hair. They need to wear sunglasses outside because albinism makes the eyes extremely light sensitive.
Since albinism has a strong genetic link, if you have albinism in your family, you may wish to consult a genetics counselor before having children.
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Childhood Glaucoma
Congenital Glaucoma
Congenital glaucoma occurs in infants who are born with a malformation in the eye drainage canals. The backup of fluids then causes increased pressure in the eye. However, congenital glaucoma can be successfully treated with medication and surgery.
Juvenile Glaucoma
When glaucoma develops in children between the ages of 4 and 10, this is called late congenital glaucoma or developmental glaucoma. Juvenile primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) occurs in young people who develop glaucoma between age 10 and 35. Most of these individuals have moderate-to-high myopia (nearsightedness). This condition is rare and is strongly related to genetics. In fact, POAG is known to be autosomal dominant, which means that only one copy of the gene responsible for POAG is needed to cause the disease. As a result, half of the children of an affected parent will have POAG. Because of this strong genetic link, research is underway to learn more about this gene in order to better treat and possibly prevent this condition.
Sturge-Weber Syndrome
About two-thirds of children born with port-wine stains on the forehead and upper eyelid will develop glaucoma, which may occur in anytime before young adulthood.
Though this condition is somewhat common, it is not well known that there is a relationship between what appears to be a skin problem and the eye disease. Unfortunately, the delay in checking children with Sturge-Weber Syndrome for glaucoma leads to what could be preventable blindness. Given an early diagnosis and proper treatment, glaucoma in these children can be controlled and eyesight saved.
If your child has Sturge-Weber Syndrome, make sure your child's intraocular pressure (IOP) is checked in infancy and once a year thereafter.
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Aniridia
When the eye's iris is malformed or absent, this condition is called aniridia. This is a rare condition that has a genetic link. It affects about 1 in 50,000 babies. Children with aniridia should be checked routinely for glaucoma, which is also associated with this condition. Children with aniridia are also at risk for developing cataract, nystagmus and corneal vascularization — blood vessels growing across the normally clear front of the eye — as well as abnormalities of the macula — the area of the retina at which visual perception is most acute.
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Contact Lenses for Children
Contact lenses for infants or young people are very useful when eyeglasses are inconvenient or will not provide the best results. In addition, contact lenses provide an optical correction which more closely approximates the normal eye. This is important in order to give your child the best chance to develop good vision.
Many parents are apprehensive about contact lenses for their children. Yet, with proper care and attention, the risk of complication is low and the potential benefit is high. It is our hope to make you comfortable with caring for your child's contact lenses so that problems can be avoided.
Lens Types
There are two basic categories of contact lenses: daily and extended wear. Daily wear lenses are inserted each morning and removed each evening. Daily wear lenses may be either hard or soft. While they can be worn by any child, they are often inconvenient for infants and toddlers because of the difficulty with daily insertion and removal.
Extended wear lenses may be hard or soft also. They are left on the eye for many weeks or several months. They are removed occasionally to be cleaned and disinfected, but when badly soiled these lenses generally need to be replaced.
Contact Lens Fitting Visit (for Children)
At the fitting visit, lenses are placed on the child's eyes to determine the most appropriate lens curvature. Children under the age of five are usually fitted with extended wear lenses. Usually the lens needed is in stock and can be dispensed the same day. If not in stock, the lens is ordered, arriving within 7 to 14 days.
Contact Lens Dispensing Visit (for Children)
When the contact lens is dispensed, the parent is taught how to insert and remove it, as well as how to care for the lens when not in the child's eye.
Patients wearing extended wear lenses must return in 24 to 48 hours. Patients wearing daily wear lenses should return within one to two weeks.
Contact Lens Follow-up Visits (for Children)
Follow-up visits are necessary to ensure that the lenses are fitted properly, vision is acceptable, and no adverse reactions have occurred. Listed here is a schedule of required visits. More frequent visits could be necessary for complex cases.
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Additional Information:
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