In regard to children, it can be inferred that intervention measures have to be implemented timely, and the same goes for eye health. Vision is a fundamental aspect of every child.
It affects their learning capabilities, their relationships with other people, and their general well-being. However, many children suffer as various forms of eye problems go unnoticed, mainly due to a lack of awareness of how regular eye checkups can help.
There is a need for early detection of eye diseases, it will help protect the child’s eyes and help them grow to enjoy good eyesight for the rest of their lives.
Incidence of Eye Disorders in Children
It is a common fact that eye disorders among children is an issue most caregivers would rather not discuss. However, a report by the World Health Organization depicts that about 19 million children worldwide are living with visual impairment, with refractive error, strabismus, and lazy eye conditions being some of the most prevalent conditions. If these conditions can be discovered early, then chances are the suffering from them will be reduced or better controlled.
Amblyopia: The Lost Enemy
Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, can be defined as a kind of disorder where one of the eyes is considerably weaker than the other, and consequently, the brain tends to favor the eye that has better vision. However, if it is not managed at this stage, the child is likely to lose vision in the weaker eye permanently. This is often overlooked since children often do not express concern about their eyesight, and they do not know how eyesight should be. Nevertheless, if identified in a timely manner, amblyopia can be effectively remedied with the use of corrective eyeglasses, patching the affected eye, or even completion of some vision therapy exercises.
Why Early Detection Matters?
1. More Effective Treatment
As mentioned, the child’s eyes and, hence, children’s vision systems are still plastic. Most, if not all, eye problems, if noticed and treated early, especially in childhood, yield satisfying results. This is because treatment can be more effective when the visual connections in the brain are still developing and have not matured.
2. Better Learning Outcomes
Vision is a vital part of any childhood learning. An eye problem that is left untreated can impede their reading, focus, even gross and fine motor coordination. Children who have poor eyes, owing to neglect or uncorrected problems often perform poorly in school, leading to optimum levels of frustration, poor self-esteem, and disinterest in school. Early detection makes certain that the child has the necessary visual capacity to properly enjoy and learn new things at school.
3. Preventing Further Complications
There are certain eye diseases that, when ignored, may exacerbate further, and the patient may risk losing his or her sight or have some other life-threatening health problems. This makes it possible not only to treat the disease in good time but also to avert any other complications from developing.
However, the role of parents and caregivers have an important responsibility, even in the case of partial blindness, to their child’s eye health. Even from the age of six months, routine eye checkups for babies may be beneficial in a whole range of problems that can be prevented from aggravating.
On the other hand, some symptoms, such as frequent squinting, inability to concentrate, proximity to television, or frequent complaints of headaches, are good indicators of why kids should be advised to undergo a thorough eye examination.
The Bottomline
As children continue to be more screen-based and tablets and computer time increases, the issue of digital eye strain is becoming more important. The normal use of screens inappropriately for a long period of time leads to dry eyes, vague vision, and extreme cases to the occurrence of myopia. For screen-related issues, parents can assist by specific time outs, urging children to play outside, lighting the room, and not making screens up too close to the child. To consult a specialist – CLICK HERE.
