Pediatric Vision Care

Pediatric Vision Care Treatment & Diagnostics in Chirag Enclave, Delhi

Pediatric Vision Care

Pediatric vision care refers to a comprehensive eye exam of a child, done by a professional or a certified ophthalmologist or an optometrist only.

What is pediatric vision care?

Ophthalmologists are certified to conduct a very specific set of tests which are only possible with a specific set of instruments. From the time of birth till the early stages of adolescence, a child can undergo different levels of ophthalmic screening or check-ups, depending on the family history of a newborn.

Who needs pediatric vision care?

• Neonates need their eyes checked for signs of retinopathy (premature babies undergo screening for retinopathy of prematurity), red reflex as well as blink and pupil response.
•  Babies within the 6-12 month bracket need follow-up visits for the aforementioned tests, especially if they have any family history of eye conditions.
• Babies within the age of 1-3 years should undergo a photo-screening test to diagnose any condition that may hamper the development of eyes; this is a stage wherein childhood cases of crossed eye or lazy eye are diagnosed as these conditions hamper the focusing power of the eyes.
• Children between ages 3-5 years need to undergo mandatory visual acuity tests that ensure their vision is proper; the majority of childhood refractive errors are detected in this stage.
•  Children aged 5 years and above can be diagnosed with myopia or metropia (especially if they are going to school) and alignment errors, which need an ophthalmologist’s opinion; children on growth hormone therapy during their formative years also need thorough eye check-ups.

What are the benefits?

• Eye screening for neonates can detect retinopathy of prematurity – it can cause blindness early in childhood.
• Vision tests done at all distances ensures optimal eye health of the child – especially when they are gearing up for school and education.
•  Focusing and alignment issues addressed early can prevent surgical interventions in later stages.
• Accurate eye movement skills are also developed in the course of routine eye examinations.
•  Pediatric eye care can help differentiate eye disorders from other conditions like attention deficit disorder (ADD).

What are the risks?

There is not much risk associated with any of the processes, since they are carried out under specialized conditions with instruments certified from international bodies. However, some of the minor risks include,

• Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a contact-based test that needs extremely careful handling from the operator’s side as a slight increase in pressure can cause irreversible damage.
• The light intensity in some of the slit-lamps used for eye tests can be too much for some children to focus on, and can cause vision disruption temporarily.

When do you need to see an ophthalmologist?

Some of the warning signs of children needing specialist ophthalmic attention include:

• Premature birth of babies, especially with a family history of vision-related conditions
• Children complaining about blurred vision or distorted vision after a certain point
• Noticing any misalignment in the eyes when children are growing up
• Excessive blinking
• Children not being able to fix their gaze on one point despite their best efforts
• Inability to make eye contact
• Delayed reflexes or delayed motor responses

Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Chirag Enclave, New Delhi.

Call 1-860-500-2244 to book an appointment.

What are the processes involved in pediatric vision care?

• Pupil response tests, fixation target tests, Snellen’s charts for visual acuity, playing with different shapes and letters, all are standard tests for children
• Retinopathy of prematurity tests involve using a probe to make contact with the eyes and visualize the retina and the level of damage to the posterior segment of the eye
• Corneal reflex tests using a torch and checking the point of reflection of light on the cornea
• Cover testing for monitoring the alignment of eyes
• Slit-lamp examination for possible chances of infection (when recommended by an ophthalmologist near you)

Conclusion

Pediatric vision care is a crucial part of the developmental progress of your child and prevents complications in future.