The Importance of Eye Exams for Children

Posted on April 9, 2012

The eyes of a child are full of wonder and possibilities. Your child’s first eye exam may be one of the most important appointments of their young lives.

Dr. Chris Rudnisky, MD, FRSCS, a general ophthalmologist at the Royal Alex Hospital Eye Clinic in Edmonton, Alberta recommends that besides regularly scheduled visits to their pediatrician for check-ups, all children have their eyes examined before they begin school; usually between the ages of 3-5 years of age.

Many times the first sign of an eye problem such as cataracts is noticed by the pediatrician. Dr. Rudnisky often works with pediatricians who refer their young patients to him for eye examinations. “There are times when an ophthalmologist may notice symptoms of a systemic illness and recommend the parent follow-up with their pediatrician, or a pediatrician may ask for the child to be examined by an ophthalmologist to confirm part of a particular diagnosis. Working together as a team with the parent is really important.”

During an ophthalmological eye examination, the overall health of the eye is checked, including normal shape and movement, clarity of the cornea and lenses, and health of the retina. The doctor will look for signs of strabismus, a condition where one eye or both eyes may over-converge or cross and amblyopia, or “lazy eye”, where one eye is weaker than the other. Conditions like amblyopia are treatable before the age of seven, but left untreated the condition may become permanent as the brain develops and eventually ignores the weaker eye.

It’s true that pre-school children may not be able to read, so how can an ophthalmologist check their vision? Children as early as age three can play matching games in which the ophthalmologist holds up a card from across the room and the child is asked to point to a card where they see the same picture or letter. An amblyopic child will object to having one eye covered, or be unable to match the pictures.

Untreated vision problems may lead to headaches, learning delays and possible permanent vision loss. Parents should understand that their child will not simply out-grow an eye problem. If any abnormal eye movements, squinting or other obvious problems are noticed, they should schedule an appointment with their pediatrician. While eye examinations may be uncomfortable and possibly frightening to a child, ophthalmologists are trained to do examinations quickly and efficiently. As Dr. Rudnisky says, “We do understand, and we’re here to help.”




Top 5 Tips for Parents

• If you have concerns about your child’s vision, visit your pediatrician for guidance.
  
• Trust your observations. If you feel like something may be wrong with your child’s eyes, you may be right.
  
• Have your child’s eyes examined before they begin school.
  
• If your child has glasses, ask your eye doctor when to have his or her prescription checked.
  
• Feel positive about the fact that your child may need glasses. It is not a sign of failure. It is simply a part of life.

Source: Dr. Chris Rudnisky, MD, FRCSC
Royal Alexandra Hospital Eye Clinic





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