Save Your Eyesight with Omega-3
Reported April 19, 2011
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Children and vision problems never have to mix. In fact, 95-percent of all eye issues can be fixed with early detection. Thats why doctors check for this sort of thing before your baby leaves the hospital. However, that doesnt mean more problems cant pop up later in life.
6-year-old Amy Linder wont let an eye patch spoil her love of reading. She wears it over her stronger eye for two hours each day to help improve her weaker one.
I have to put in on here, so my eye can get better, Amy told Ivanhoe.
Amy’s mom noticed her eye was wandering two years ago, and doctors confirmed 20/80 vision in that eye. Children need a vision check at birth with another at 3 and 6 months, 3 to 4 years, and at 5 years.
There are children that can have very severe visual problems that can be permanent in an eye because it wasnt detected early enough, Stuart R. Dankner, M.D., a pediatric ophthalmologist and assistant clinical professor at Johns Hopkins, told Ivanhoe.
Dr. Dankner says problems like lazy eye may be cured if caught early. The key to early treatment is recognizing warning signs.
Sometimes, the child may cock their head to the side or squint an eye because theyre trying to focus in on something, and that may be an early sign, Dr. Dankner said.
In children up to 1 year old, look for an inability to visually track objects like toys. In preschoolers, misaligned eyes can signal trouble. At any age, droopy eyelids, eyes that flutter quickly, and those sensitive to light could mean vision trouble.
10-month old Penelope had a blocked tear duct and showed signs of eye crossing. Turns out, her eyes only appeared crossed due to a wide nasal bridge, which is common in babies. Antibiotics cleared it up quick, giving Penelope plenty to smile about.
If you are a parent and have a family history of vision problems, tell your pediatrician. Dr. Dankner says premature infants have a higher risk of developing lazy eye.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Stuart R. Dankner, M.D.
Johns Hopkins Hospital
media@aao.org