Check your eyes: when your child needs to see an ophthalmologist 

Usually, parents take their child to an ophthalmologist in two cases – something happened to the eyes due to an injury or infection or just before school for a check-up. But is this right? Why go to the doctor again when nothing is bothering you? At first glance, it seems logical, but children have one peculiarity – they don’t say anything because they simply don’t know that something is wrong with their vision or eyes.

So, let's touch on the topic of the need for professional examinations and cases when a child should definitely be shown to an ophthalmologist. 

Mandatory examinations: at what age

The baby is examined for the first time within 72 hours after birth or by the 6th–8th week. This is done in the maternity hospital or during the first visit to the pediatrician. The doctor evaluates the appearance of the eyes, red reflexes (reflection of light from the retina), and how the baby moves the eyeballs. It is not possible to examine anything more at this time.

The next scheduled visit to the ophthalmologist should usually take place at one and a half to two years. At the appointment, the ophthalmologist checks the same thing plus asks the parents if they have noticed anything strange about the baby. 

And the first full examination is carried out at the age of 4–6. Of course, it all depends on the child's contact ability. The ophthalmologist examines the fundus, measures the length of the eye, checks visual acuity, performs autorefractometry (a device for testing the refractive power of the eye), skiascopy (determination of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism), and biomicroscopy (study of the structures of the eye using a slit lamp).

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Red reflex

The simplest test that even parents can do is the reflection of light from the retina (a clear example: red circles in the eyes in photographs). The pupillary reflexes should be symmetrical and the same red color, which indicates normal development of the eyeballs and retina. If it is pale in one eye, there are probably problems with the retina, so the child should definitely be shown to an ophthalmologist. A white reflex can be in case of cataracts, retinal detachment, intraocular infections, retinoblastoma (in 95% of cases). Yellow - in Coats disease (a pathology of blood vessels, usually characteristic of boys under 10 years old). Asymmetry signals strabismus. 

Source: Freepik

Signs of vision impairment

It is difficult for parents to notice that their child's vision has become worse, because they do not complain about it. This is because their brain simply has nothing to compare it to, so the baby thinks they have normal vision. 

So what should parents pay attention to? 

Distance:

• for a preschooler – on which she reads, draws. If a book or coloring book is too close to the face, something is wrong with the eyes; 
• For a student – ​​at school, he squints a lot when looking at the blackboard, or complains that he can no longer see what is written from the 3rd or 4th desk.

Eye positionWhen the eyes look unevenly, there is a suspicion of strabismus. 

Rapid fatigue while reading.

Rubbing, redness of the eyes during visual stress, which can signal both refractive problems and inflammatory diseases (conjunctivitis).

In the family history, That is, if the parents or grandparents have myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness), then the child must be routinely examined, because it is transmitted genetically. 

Diseases that require regular visits to an ophthalmologist

Mandatory visits to the doctor if the child:

• problems with the structural structure of the eye. These include all congenital pathologies; 
• any refractive problems (myopia, farsightedness, astigmatism) require checking at least once every six months; 
• Strabismus – twice a year to prescribe treatment tactics and, if necessary, make a decision on surgical intervention. 

Source: Freepik

The biggest stereotype about myopia treatment 

Parents believe that poor vision can only be corrected with glasses. Usually this is the easiest and most affordable way, which is why they like to start treatment with it. However, there are other, alternative methods. For example, soft contact lenses or hard night lenses (orthokeratological). The latter not only allow you to see well, but also inhibit the development of myopia.

Eye injuries: do you need to see a doctor immediately?

It all depends on the parents' awareness and the type of injury. If the child was playing on the beach, throwing sand and it got into his eyes, it is enough to rinse them with water from a bottle. There will be no big trouble here, because the epithelium regenerates on its own. 

However, there are cases when a child still needs to be seen by an ophthalmologist:

• you hit your eye, it is red, hurts, and difficult to open – it is advisable to check for structural abnormalities; 
• poked in the eye with a sharp object, even if an open wound is not visible - sometimes preventive measures, such as bactericidal drops or antibiotics, should be prescribed. 

Dangerous tears

If your child has yellowish tears or persistent, balloon-like swelling near the nose, be sure to see an ophthalmologist. These symptoms are typical of dacryocystitis, an infection of the nasolacrimal sac due to blockage of the nasolacrimal duct. In addition to tearing, redness, pain, and swelling are also common. Surgical treatment is usually necessary.

Source: Freepik

A little about conjunctivitis 

Children often touch their eyes with dirty hands, which is why they can develop inflammation of the mucous membrane. Although conjunctivitis can be of different origins – allergic, viral, bacterial. Only an ophthalmologist or pediatrician can determine which one is which, and he will prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Allergic Conjunctivitis usually manifests itself as itching, redness, swelling, and is characterized by seasonality. An important condition: the baby does not have a cold at this time. Both eyes are usually affected, because this is the immune system's response to certain factors - soft contact lenses, solutions, bloom, animals, insects, etc.

Viral Conjunctivitis, although it has the same symptoms, is mostly one-sided and is associated with colds, when there is a runny nose, fever, etc. 

Bacterial It is characterized by purulent yellow or green discharge, which causes the eyes to stick together. There is redness and severe dryness of the eyes (as opposed to viral, which, on the contrary, causes severe tearing).

3 tips to maintain eye health:

1. At 4–6 years old, bring your child for a regular eye examination at least once to an ophthalmologist who will be able to do all the tests. We remember that young patients don't complain about anything, but there are problems that are difficult to fix at an older age. 
2. Don't ignore a doctor's prescription: glasses are not a sentence. After all, when a child puts them on and says that they see worse without them, it means that they finally know how to really see and understand that they had really bad eyesight before. 
3. Listen to your children, watch them, observe and limit their interaction with gadgets. Remember that children under 6 years old should not be given smartphones and tablets at all.

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