Many of us believe that if we can
see well, we don’t need to visit an eye doctor. While good vision is clearly
important, an eye exam does more than just test your vision. In fact, your eyes
can be portals that offer a glimpse of your overall health. In fact, many
diseases show early signs in the eyes , including high blood pressure and
diabetes. So, a comprehensive eye exam can help you at any age.
Vision and learning are closely
linked. Children don’t know what ‘normal’ vision is like, so they may not know
to complain. Children’s eyes change rapidly as they grow, so eye care is
important.
Good vision is essential for
proper physical development and educational progress in growing children.The
visual system of the young child is not fully mature. Equal input from both
eyes is required for proper development of the visual centers in the brain. If
a growing child’s eye does not provide a clear, focused image to the developing
brain, irreversible loss of vision in one or both eyes may result (Amblyopia).
Early detection provides the
best opportunity for effective treatment.
One of the major causes of
avoidable visual impairment and disability in India and worldwide is refractive
error particularly amongst the school going children. In addition, other ocular
diseases that can occur in children are;
a. Squint: Disorder
in which the eyes don't look in exactly the same direction at the same time.
b. Amblyopia (Lazy Eyes): Decreased
eyesight due to abnormal visual development.
c. Congenital defects: Eg
Retinitis pigmentosa - An eye disease in which the back wall of the eye
(retina) is damaged.
d. Vitamin A deficiency:
Vitamin A deficiency can cause blindness. It can also increase the risk of
serious, sometimes fatal, infections. Symptoms include night blindness, dry
eyes & skin and frequent infections.
e. Retinal tumor
(Retinoblastoma): An eye cancer that begins in the back of the eye
(retina), most common in children less than 5 years of age.
f. Other Miscellaneous causes.
To tackle this important issue,
school children of all ages, group needs to be examined from time to time. Just
because there is no complain about vision, you should not assume that your
child has perfect vision. Often children do not know they should be able to see
well than they do.
Recommended Eye Examination
Frequency for Pediatric Patients and Adults comprehensive eye examination, even
if there is no “apparent” eye problem.
