Children
Dr. Sarah Baroody enjoys evaluating children for routine eye
check-ups and also treats:
check-ups and also treats:
- Refractice error (Glasses)
- Strabismus (Cross-eyes)
- Amblyopia (Poor Vision, Lazy Eye)
- Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction (Tearing)
- Chalazion (Stye)
- Eye Injuries
- Uveitis (Inflammation)
- Pink Eye
- Congenital Cataracts
What is refractive error?
A refractive error means that images are not focused properly on the back of
the eye. In other words, the need for glasses for focused vision!
Types of Refractive Error:
Myopia - (Near-sighted). This is usually the result of a longer than normal
eyeball, and generally develops during a child's growth spurts. Myopia
causes blurry vision in the distance, usually requiring spectacle correction.
Hyperopia - (Far-sighted). This usually corresponds to a shorter than normal
eyeball, so most children are born far-sighted. It is gradually reduced with
growth and may eventually be corrected completely. Eyes are born with the
ability to focus a certain degree of hyperopia - making the vision clear again.
(This ability is lost slowly throughout life and is the reason people require
reading glasses later in life.) Most children with hyperopia do NOT require
spectacle correction. The exceptions would be the association with
amblyopia or strabismus.
Astigmatism - this refers to the shape of the cornea. Instead of a perfect
round sphere, the eye can be shaped like a football. This causes an irregular
focus on the back of the eye, and may require spectacle correction.
What is strabismus?
Strabismus is the medical term for eye turns, crossed eyes, cross-eyed,
wall-eyes, wandering eyes, deviating eye, etc.
Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are misaligned when focused at
a target object. Before the ages of 3-4 months, infants do not focus well and
therefore may have the appearance of wandering eyes. So, true strabismus is
usually not confirmed until after 4 months of age, unless it is severe. Your
pediatrician will screen for the presence of strabismus.
Strabismus is classified into many different types.
Esotropia is an in-turning of an eye.
Exotropia is an outward-turning of an eye.
Hypertropia is when one eye is higher than the other.
If you notice that your child's eyes appear misaligned, it is helpful to classify
the problem, and share this with your doctor. Try to determine if the eyes
turn in, out, or up. It may happen in the right eye, the left, or both
alternating! Notice if the deviation appears constant or intermittent. If it is
intermittent, estimate what percentage of the time the deviation is apparent
(this is sometimes difficult). Also, it is helpful to know if the deviation occurs
when the child is looking in the distance or at a near object like the details
of a toy, or if it only occurs when the child is tired or sick.
Strabismus should be evaluated by an ophthalmologist, because the eyes
may not be focusing (see Refractive Error) or developing properly
(see Amblyopia). It is important to treat the child as early as possible to allow
normal visual development if possible.
What is amblyopia?
Amblyopia is the medical term for poor development of vision. At birth, eyes
have very poor vision - but they have the potential for perfect vision. Vision
develops from birth to about age 7 or 8 and can be influenced in a positive or
negative way during this critical time period. Amblyopia occurs when the
eye does not develop it's potential during childhood.
Causes of Amblyopia:
Deprivation - Something is blocking the vision such as a congenital cataract,
or a droopy eyelid. Treatment includes first removing the blocking element.
Refractive Error - If there is a very high refractive error in both eyes, both can
have amblyopia if there is a delay in spectacle correction. More commonly
amblyopia is found in one eye when there is a significant difference in the
refractive error of the two eyes.
Strabismus - If one eye is turning away from the target object, it may become
amblyopic. The brain will initially be receiving 2 different images and will
eventually only focus on the better eye and "turn off" the deviating eye.
Treatment for strabismus and amblyopia
Treatment for children is tailored to correct the cause of the problem and to
restore normal binocular vision. The goal is for the child to be able to use
both eyes together.
Appropriate treatment may require any one or a combination of the following:
Glasses - for the correction of refractive error. This may be all that is
necessary for certain types of strabismus.
Eye Patch - is used for amblyopia therapy. The normal eye is covered to force
the use and development of the amblyopic eye. This is extremely effective
but requires cooperation.
Atropine Eye Drop - is also used for amblyopia therapy. The normal eye is
given the eye drop which makes near objects blurry. This encourages the
use and development of the amblyopic eye.
Surgery - to correct eye alignment when no other methods work. If glasses
correct the strabismus, than surgery is not performed. Surgery is only
performed once the amblyopia is treated and the two eyes both have good
vision.
A refractive error means that images are not focused properly on the back of
the eye. In other words, the need for glasses for focused vision!
Types of Refractive Error:
Myopia - (Near-sighted). This is usually the result of a longer than normal
eyeball, and generally develops during a child's growth spurts. Myopia
causes blurry vision in the distance, usually requiring spectacle correction.
Hyperopia - (Far-sighted). This usually corresponds to a shorter than normal
eyeball, so most children are born far-sighted. It is gradually reduced with
growth and may eventually be corrected completely. Eyes are born with the
ability to focus a certain degree of hyperopia - making the vision clear again.
(This ability is lost slowly throughout life and is the reason people require
reading glasses later in life.) Most children with hyperopia do NOT require
spectacle correction. The exceptions would be the association with
amblyopia or strabismus.
Astigmatism - this refers to the shape of the cornea. Instead of a perfect
round sphere, the eye can be shaped like a football. This causes an irregular
focus on the back of the eye, and may require spectacle correction.
What is strabismus?
Strabismus is the medical term for eye turns, crossed eyes, cross-eyed,
wall-eyes, wandering eyes, deviating eye, etc.
Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are misaligned when focused at
a target object. Before the ages of 3-4 months, infants do not focus well and
therefore may have the appearance of wandering eyes. So, true strabismus is
usually not confirmed until after 4 months of age, unless it is severe. Your
pediatrician will screen for the presence of strabismus.
Strabismus is classified into many different types.
Esotropia is an in-turning of an eye.
Exotropia is an outward-turning of an eye.
Hypertropia is when one eye is higher than the other.
If you notice that your child's eyes appear misaligned, it is helpful to classify
the problem, and share this with your doctor. Try to determine if the eyes
turn in, out, or up. It may happen in the right eye, the left, or both
alternating! Notice if the deviation appears constant or intermittent. If it is
intermittent, estimate what percentage of the time the deviation is apparent
(this is sometimes difficult). Also, it is helpful to know if the deviation occurs
when the child is looking in the distance or at a near object like the details
of a toy, or if it only occurs when the child is tired or sick.
Strabismus should be evaluated by an ophthalmologist, because the eyes
may not be focusing (see Refractive Error) or developing properly
(see Amblyopia). It is important to treat the child as early as possible to allow
normal visual development if possible.
What is amblyopia?
Amblyopia is the medical term for poor development of vision. At birth, eyes
have very poor vision - but they have the potential for perfect vision. Vision
develops from birth to about age 7 or 8 and can be influenced in a positive or
negative way during this critical time period. Amblyopia occurs when the
eye does not develop it's potential during childhood.
Causes of Amblyopia:
Deprivation - Something is blocking the vision such as a congenital cataract,
or a droopy eyelid. Treatment includes first removing the blocking element.
Refractive Error - If there is a very high refractive error in both eyes, both can
have amblyopia if there is a delay in spectacle correction. More commonly
amblyopia is found in one eye when there is a significant difference in the
refractive error of the two eyes.
Strabismus - If one eye is turning away from the target object, it may become
amblyopic. The brain will initially be receiving 2 different images and will
eventually only focus on the better eye and "turn off" the deviating eye.
Treatment for strabismus and amblyopia
Treatment for children is tailored to correct the cause of the problem and to
restore normal binocular vision. The goal is for the child to be able to use
both eyes together.
Appropriate treatment may require any one or a combination of the following:
Glasses - for the correction of refractive error. This may be all that is
necessary for certain types of strabismus.
Eye Patch - is used for amblyopia therapy. The normal eye is covered to force
the use and development of the amblyopic eye. This is extremely effective
but requires cooperation.
Atropine Eye Drop - is also used for amblyopia therapy. The normal eye is
given the eye drop which makes near objects blurry. This encourages the
use and development of the amblyopic eye.
Surgery - to correct eye alignment when no other methods work. If glasses
correct the strabismus, than surgery is not performed. Surgery is only
performed once the amblyopia is treated and the two eyes both have good
vision.
(C) www.sarahbaroodymd.com
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(203) 790-8866