PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY
The Pediatric ophthalmology service at Rushabh Eye Hospital & Laser Centre aims to bring a smile on every child’s face. Children have special problems and require special attention to their needs. We have highly qualified Pediatric Ophthalmologists who can manage all kinds of childhood eye diseases including refractive errors, squint, glaucoma, congenital cataract, congenital anomalies, etc. We recommend that preschool children receive a complete eye examination at the age of five years or earlier if any problem is noticed by the parent or teacher.
WHEN SHOULD YOU SCHEDULE AN EYE CHECK UP FOR YOUR CHILD?
IF YOUR CHILD DOES ONE OF THESE AT ANY AGE….
- Hold an object very close to their eyes
- Excessively rub their eyes, blink or squint after close visual work
- Complain of headaches after reading
- Becomes tired after reading
- Has difficulty in comprehending what they read
- Complain of headaches or eyestrain
- It has red or watery eyes (which could also be a sign of allergies).
- Performs below expected levels in school
- Has a short attention span or difficulty staying on task
- Has an eye that turns in or out
- Complaints of blurred vision with schoolwork or reading
- Has difficulty copying from a textbook or chalkboard
- Avoids reading or goes very close to the TV while watching programs.
Children having glasses should undergo an eye examination once every 6 months till the number stabilizes and then once every year or as advised by your treating Ophthalmologist.
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR AN EYE EXAMINATION
If old enough to understand what’s going on, sit down with your kid and explain what will happen during your doctor visit. Make sure the child knows the doctor will ask her to look at and identify objects. These could be pictures, letters, or shapes of light on the wall. Explain that the doctor may put drops in both eyes, but it won’t hurt. They might sting, but only for a few seconds. Be honest with your child and work with your doctor to reassure her.
WHAT TESTS WILL THE DOCTOR DO?
3 years and younger: The doctor will check:
- External torchlight examination
- Test for glasses and lazy eye
- Will see how the eyes move
- How the eyes react to changes in light and darkness
- Retina check-up
AGES 3 +
All of the above
And additionally test vision using eye chart tests, pictures, letters, or the “tumbling E game.” This game measures how well your child sees the form and detail of objects. (VISUAL ACUITY)
The child is asked to identify the direction that the letter “E” opens by holding out three or four fingers to mimic the letter “E.” You can practice this test at home before your appointment.
If your child is a bit older, she may be asked to identify pictures such as a plane, a house, a duck, or a hand. Correcting poor visual acuity is very important in a child’s sight development.
DILATATION
After assessing preliminary Visual Acuity, the sister will instill eye drops in your child’s eyes.
These drops are very safe and painless. They help to relax the eyes and also enlarge the pupil of the eye so that the doctor can have a look into the back of the eyes (Retina examination) and perform Retinoscopy (check the need for glasses).
RETINA EXAMINATION
While this test is going on, let your child sit comfortably in your lap.
These drops might take until an hour to act, so make sure u have fed the child will before your appointment or carried some snack with u.
These drops make the near vision blurry for a few hours to 24 hours (that’s normal). Please inform the sister if your child has an exam or classes on the same or following day.
A complete eye examination of your child may take 45 mins to 1 and a half hours
