1. Cataracts–There is a misconception that only senior citizens get cataracts, but children, even infants, can get them. Surgery removes the cloudy lens of the eye and replaces it with an artificial one Cataracts cause the ocular lens to cloud, impairing sight.. Vision can be restored with surgery and follow-up treatment. Without treatment, a child with a cataract would be legally blind in the affected eye.
2. Amblyopia– From amblyopia straight-eyed children can suffer, which results in reduced vision in the affected eye. Because vision in the good eye is not altered, often this problem is not detected. The result can be permanent blindness in the poor eye If left untreated,. The child can be treated with eye glasses, patching or medicated drops If detected early, which results in excellent vision for most patients.
3. Strabismus–Children with strabismus have misaligned eyes that may be subtle enough to go undetected by the parents. The result is that the child has no depth perception, which can make some day-to-day activities difficult., The child is likely to lose vision in one eye Without treatment, which is called amblyopia. The initial treatment is eyeglasses and possible surgery on the eye muscles. The child can have good vision restored with this treatment,.
4. Extreme farsightedness–This condition results in a child being unable to see well at any distance. Without treatment, vision may be irrevocably lost. Eyeglasses are used to improve the child’s vision and stop the loss of sight.
Said Michael Repka “Parents are the first line of defense for children’s vision health because young kids often can’t communicate that they’re having a problem seeing,”, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology secretary for Federal Affairs and professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University. “Vision screenings are safe, inexpensive, effective and smart; they catch problems this year that weren’t there last year. Screenings can take place as part of well-child exams, in schools, and can be performed by pediatricians, family physicians, nurses, and lay screeners.”
