7 Common Children Eye Problems | Pediatric Eyecare
As part of children’s development, it is essential that they get their eyes examined regularly. Children’s eyes grow and develop rapidly during the early years. Therefore, detecting eye problems early reduces long-term vision problems, which can result in problems in the child’s performance at school, social interaction, and self-confidence.
Approximately 20 percent of children live with undiagnosed eye problems. This article looks at seven common childhood eye problems that a children’s eye doctor near you frequently observes. While the conditions are rare, they are best detected early by having an eye exam.
The children’s optometrist in Castle Rock, CO, is experienced and skillful in detecting and treating these conditions.
7 Common Pediatric Eye Problems in Children
Below are some common pediatric eye problems found in children:
1. Refraction
When children’s eyes have double bending light reaching the back of the eye, the retina, the condition leads to blurry vision. A children’s doctor looks for refractive errors like myopia, astigmatism, and hyperopia to provide treatment for the conditions. Myopia indicates shortsightedness, astigmatism indicates an imperfect cornea curve, and hyperopia indicates long-sightedness.
2. Eye Injuries
Accidents and children are synonymous with each other, including their eyes. Common problems encountered by children include scratched cornea or foreign objects in the eye like wood, glass, or metal shavings.
3. Pediatric Glaucoma (Genetic)
High pressure within the eye with the potential to damage the optic nerve is associated with glaucoma. Therefore, early detection and treatment from the pediatric eye doctor are essential for positive outcomes.
4. Pediatric Cataracts
Cataracts generally cloud the usually clear lens of the eye. Although it is associated with the elderly, newborns can also develop pediatric cataracts.
5. Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is an infection that causes redness in the white part of the eyes. Conjunctivitis is pretty familiar among children, unlike adults, and is a contagious condition. It can also be caused by allergies.
6. Amblyopia
Alternatively called lazy eye amblyopia results from a lack of communication between the eyes and the brain. The condition leads to one or both eyes having abnormal development. Approximately three percent of children have amblyopia. However, when detected early by children’s doctors, treatment for amblyopia delivers successful outcomes.
7. Strabismus
Misalignment of the eyes is called strabismus. In such cases, one eye may be turned inward, outward, downward, or upward. If strabismus is not detected early or treated, it leads to amblyopia or lazy eye to cause vision loss.
Why Treating Pediatric Eye Problems is Important?
Untreated eye problems among children can result in severe and long-lasting vision problems. Routine screening and regular eye exams help identify eye problems in children in the early stages.
Children continue developing vision when growing and become vulnerable to different eye problems. As per our pediatric eye doctor in Castle Rock, it is critical to ensure your child’s healthy vision because eye problems in children can affect their performance in everyday activities like playing, writing, reading, et cetera. Eventually, the issues also affect their school performance requiring you to take specific measures to safeguard their eyes from infancy.
Please do not consider children’s eyesight doesn’t require attention because it does even before birth. For example, smoking can harm the eyes of an unborn child. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth while also increasing the risk of bacterial meningitis, leading to severe vision loss.
If your child has measles or had it recently, you might be surprised to learn the measles virus can also harm the eyes. Therefore ensure your child is vaccinated against this condition to prevent eye problems.
Keep children away from cleaning products because they are more likely to get eye damage from chemical burns. These injuries are specifically dangerous because they cause permanent damage to the external and internal eye structures. If your child gets chemical burns in the eyes, flush them with water and head to an emergency care center near you for attention.
When children begin school, you must ensure you limit screen time to lower the risk of myopia and digital eyestrain. Studies reveal that near-work activities, including screen time, are connected to nearsightedness and digital eyestrain.
Symptoms of Childhood Vision Problems
The three not-so-apparent signs of childhood vision problems include quick loss of interest in activities requiring the use of eyes, losing their place when reading, and turning their head to look at something in front of them.
Visit a Pediatric Eye Doctor Near You
If you observe these symptoms in your child, do not waste time but schedule an appointment with our children’s optometrist in Castle Rock, CO at Founders Eyecare to have an eye exam without delay.