Children are not immune to any and all health problems , and that includes issues with their eyes . Right from the start , they can be dealt an unfair blow that affects their vision and this is where the importance of vision screening is revealed .
There are a slew of eye conditions that can plague a child ' s sight : Amblyopia and Ptosis are just two of the more common ones while other childhood eye diseases include Conjunctivitis , Chalazion and Preseptal or Orbital Cellulitis .
Dr . Paul Savioli , an associate OD at Harbourview Optometry Centre in Thunder Bay , was asked how difficult it is to diagnose eye diseases in children and if there was a particular time when kids are most at risk .
“ Testing is more objective in children , as we rely less on subjective measures as children go through their critical period of development , challenges do occur more frequently ,” he said . “ This period is very important and intervention tends to be more successful .”
Depending on the severity of the disease , Savioli said that intervention and treatment can vary .
“ With refractive issues , correcting the error and / or patching ( with amblyopia ) ... however , patient compliance is necessary to be successful , he said . That can be a challenge in itself . With respect to more severe diseases , like cataracts and retinoblastoma , surgical intervention and / or systemic intervention may be needed . Parents should look for any learning or developmental delays such as kids not doing well in school , not reaching milestones , avoiding close work and having behavioural issues . To rule out any guessing , we encourage parents to get their child ' s eyes checked regularly .”
Dr . Ian MacDonald , a researcher , funded by the Foundation Fighting Blindness , agreed with Savioli ' s statement when it comes to treating the problem : with co-operation , the diseases are manageable .
“ With parental and child cooperation , treatment is easier , he said . If there are no perceived difficulties , children should have their eyes examined at least once prior to school entry between the ages of three to five years old .”
Savioli added that a regular eye exam until the age of 19 is recommended , but with some diseases there needs to be constant attention paid .
OPTICAL PRISM | JULY / AUGUST 2013 19