Most children are unaware of the condition and may struggle during their school year due to these eye issues. Healthy eyes and vision are a critical part of kids' development. Their eyes should be examined regularly, as many vision problems and eye diseases can be detected and treated early.
We should make eye checkup a routine for our kids at least once in a year from early child hood.
Lets learn about eye care professionals as very few people are aware about their jobs.
Professionals in eye health field:
- Ophthalmologists: Eye M.D. medical doctors who provide comprehensive eye care with medicine and surgery.
- Pediatric ophthalmologists: doctors who have additional special training to treat kids' eye problems.
- Optometrists: provide services that may be similar to ophthalmologists, but they don't perform surgery. Some optometrists specialize in kids' eye problems.
- Opticians:Opticians are technicians trained to design, verify and fit eyeglass lenses and frames, contact lenses, and other devices to correct eyesight.
Eye Exams
Routine medical exams for kids' vision include:
- Newborns should be checked for general eye health by a pediatrician or family physician in the hospital.
- High-risk newborns (including premature infants), those with a family history of eye problems, and those with obvious eye irregularities should be examined by an eye doctor.
- In the first year of life, all infants should be routinely screened for eye health during checkups with their pediatrician or family doctor.
- Around age 3½, kids should have eye health screenings and visual acuity tests (tests that measure sharpness of vision) with their pediatrician or family doctor.
- Around age 5, kids should have their vision and eye alignment checked by their pediatrician or family doctor. Those who fail either test should be examined by an eye doctor.
- After age 5, routine screenings should be done at school and the primary doctor's office, and if symptoms such as squinting or frequent headaches occur. (Many times, a teacher will notice that a child isn't seeing well in class.)
- Kids who wear prescription glasses or contacts should have annual checkups by an eye doctor to screen for vision changes.
An ophthalmologist can detect the need for glasses through a complete eye exam. Typically, the pupils are dilated in order to relax the focusing muscles, so that an accurate measurement can be obtained. By using a special instrument, called a retinoscope, your eye doctor can arrive at an accurate prescription. The ophthalmologist will then advise parents whether there is a need for glasses, or whether the condition can be monitored.
Tips for eye health for children using electronic devices:
- Check the height of the device-
- Computer screens should be four to five inches below eye level and 20 to 28 inches away from the eyes.
- Digital devices should be held a safe distance away from eyes and slightly below eye level.
- Check for glare on the screen
- Reducing the amount of lighting in the room to match the computer screen
- Adjust font size for easier reading Keep blinking.
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