Five naive questions to an ophthalmologist about children’s eyes, glasses, lenses and myopia

Ophthalmologist of the highest category Dilyara Topyrkina

– In a year it is necessary to be examined by an ophthalmologist. We often have premature babies, children with pathologies. They are nursed in special cells. And the increased oxygen content in these chambers leads to underdevelopment of the retina (the so-called retinopathy of prematurity). And this, in turn, can lead to a violation of the formation of the entire retina or certain areas that are responsible for central vision. Therefore, it is imperative that once a year it is necessary to determine the refraction of the child and examine the optical media and look at the fundus in order to identify pathologies in the early stages, if any. Further – according to the situation, the doctor decides whether the baby needs treatment, correction, glasses.

– If in the family of a child mom, dad, grandmothers or grandfathers have myopia, he may be genetically predisposed to it. A child rarely walks on the street, there is little in the sun – this is also a reason to see a doctor. Recent studies have shown that a lack of sunlight in childhood leads to the non-formation of the central zone of the retina (the so-called macula). And this is the first step towards the development of myopia! If the child has had natal injuries of the cervical spine, including the cord entanglement at birth, he also needs to be examined. With frequent visual stress at close range (watching TV, reading books, playing at the computer, talking on the phone in social networks), a visit to the ophthalmologist is recommended. What is myopia? This is the growth of the eyeball. That is, the size of the eye must be certain, and when it begins to grow, myopia develops. It is believed that it is finally laid in a person at the age of 3 to 5 years. Accordingly, at the age of 5, it is imperative to check the child’s eyesight.

– Pay attention to how far your child is from the TV screen or computer, and how far from the eyes the book is holding. If it is very close, if he does not see part of the text or drawings, “leads his nose” through the book, then this is the first alarm bell. Urgently see a doctor! The second risk group is children born with pathologies, including neurological ones, or with birth trauma.

– This is fundamentally wrong. With myopia, the eye is either very overstrained and a spasm occurs in it, or, conversely, the muscle is too weak. The vision of such children requires both treatment and constant correction. Therefore, if glasses are shown to your child, then they must be worn. Proven: 100% correction leads to stabilization of myopia growth. That is, if a person does not see 100 percent, in any case he needs to put on glasses in order to stabilize the process and teach the brain to see well. Otherwise, vision will only deteriorate. By the way, it is imperative to correct astigmatism! Otherwise, it will lead all to the same myopia. Hence – poor progress at school, a state of constant fatigue and complete apathy to everything, absent-mindedness and inattention.

– Taking into account modern technologies, it is possible from birth, if there is evidence. For example, if a baby has strabismus, then a contact lens with a huge diopter is put on one eye in order to “turn it off” from work, and bring the other back to normal. We have experience when a boy put on his lenses when he was 6 years old. Even some 5 years ago, even ten-year-old children seemed small to us for this – we took children from 14, but now at 8 – this has already become the norm. Age doesn’t really matter. The decision is made by the children’s ophthalmologist: whether the child needs it. And parents will have to treat this issue in good faith, because contact lenses require mandatory compliance with personal hygiene. If you put on and wear them carefully, then everything will be fine.

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