Rarely are children born with vision problems that interfere with basic functions. In fact, most children are born with healthy eyes that will require very little treatment during their formative years. Nonetheless, refractive errors can develop in children, and if left undetected these can lead to vision problems that effect everyday activities like school. It is this knowledge that has created programs in several school districts to test children's eyes on a yearly basis, but these precautions should not replace regularly scheduled visits to a family ophthalmologist.
Common Vision Problems in Children
Similarly to vision problems with adults, early detection is important to successfully treating vision disorders in children. Some vision problems like crossed eyes or lazy eye can be detected without visiting an eye doctor, but others can only be detected during a regular exam. These include:
Astigmatism, a condition in which light does not reflect on the retina due to irregularities in the shape of the cornea. Children who suffer from astigmatism may experience blurry vision at both near and far distances equally.
Nearsightedness, a condition that allows for your child to see clearly objects that are close to them, but interferes with their ability to see things at a distance.
Farsightedness, the opposite of nearsightedness, in which objects far away can be crystal clear, but objects that are closer become blurry or fuzzy.
Crossed Eyes, affecting nearly 5% of all children, this disorder is caused when both eyes are not able to focus simultaneously.
Lazy eyes, which can be the consequence of crossed eyes, in which one eye becomes stronger than the other, resulting in the weaker eye becoming useless.
If detected early enough, your ophthalmologist can treat these vision problems and often completely reverse their effects.
Treatments for Vision Problems in Children
Treating vision problems in children differs very little from treatment for adults. Glasses and contact lenses can be used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Eye patches, exercises, and vision therapy can be used to treat lazy eye and crossed eyes. In some cases, medicated eye drops may be used to further correct these issues. Vision surgery may also be an option, but because your child's vision will not stabilize until they are an adult, this option is rarely suggested by an ophthalmologist.
For more information about child eye care, please visit the website of Eyes.com, where you can browse through common symptoms, causes, and treatment options for your children.
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