Upon scheduling, you should choose a certain time when your child is happy and alert so that you won’t have problems in bringing him or her to the doctor. The process of the eye examination will most likely base on your child’s age. It will usually involve vision testing, case history, eye alignment test and consultation.
After making an appointment to a doctor, you may be asked to answer a case history. This can be done through mail. You will be answering basic questions such as your child’s birth weight, allergies, past complications and birth history.
You should make sure that you will tell your doctor everything that he or she needs about your child because this will be really helpful in both the diagnosing and treatment process. Any past eye problems such as failure in maintaining eye contact, excessive blinking, having difficulties in maintaining a gaze and poor tracking skills may be signs that your child already has vision problems.
The doctor will also want to know about your child’s past ocular diagnoses or treatments such as wearing contacts, glasses or eye surgeries.
Common Eye and vision Problems that may Affect Children
1. Amblyopia – This is usually called “lazy eye”. This condition is described as the decrease in vision on one or both eyes. Common causes include strabismus and this can be treated through patching the affected eye to strengthen it.
2. Strabismus – This is the misalignment of the eyes and this is usually due to a congenital defect in the strength or positioning of muscles which are responsible in the eye movement and positioning.
3. Focusing Problems – This is also called as accommodation problems. This is a condition in which it causes the eyes to have trouble in changing focus from near to distance and back again. This can usually be treated through vision therapy.
4. Eye Teaming Problems – This is usually more subtle compare to strabismus. This eye condition may cause problems with both coordination and depth perception.
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our pediatrician or family doctor should be the first professional to check the eyes of your child. If you suspect that your child has any eye problems, you should seek a medical professional immediately to prevent it from getting worse. They are the ones who have the right equipment, knowledge and skills in diagnosing any of your child’s vision problems.
