Pediatric Ophthalmology and Squint services offered at SaarthNetralay would take care of all the eye problems in children pertinent to refractive error, childhood cataract, glaucoma, retinopathies.

When should I take my child for an eye check up?

Ideally a routine examination should be performed by a pediatrician when the child is born and then at least two routine eye examinations should be performed by a Pediatric Ophthalmologist first, when the child is around 2-3 years and the again at the age of 5 years before the child starts formal school.

What is paediatric ophthalmology?

This is the medical specialty that prevents, diagnoses and treats diseases that affect children’s eyes and visual health. Good ophthalmic care is essential during childhood, as these are the years when visual problems may appear while the eyes of growing and may affect their future development. Children’s eyes are constantly growing until they are about 8 years old.

A child should go for an eye checkup if the following symptoms are noticeable

• Crossed eyes.
• Keeps object close to his eyes.
• Not being able to see the blackboard at school.
• Things looking blurry or funny.
• Feeling an itching, burning or scratchy sensation in the eyes.
• Injury to the eye.
• One or both the parents wear glasses.

What are the Common Eye Diseases in children?

• Refractive errors
• Lazy eye disease
• Eye injuries
• Squinting of eyes
• Watering from the eyes
• Eye allergies

The most common conditions which affect eyesight during childhood are:

• congenital diseases
• amblyopia (commonly known as lazy eye)
• strabismus
• inflammation
• infection

It has been shown that academic performance can be significantly affected by vision problems that have not been properly diagnosed or treated, harming the child’s capacity to learn and develop vital skills.

When to see a paediatric ophthalmologist?

Eye exams are essential throughout childhood. In the first few months of life, an eye examination can detect serious diseases such as retinoblastoma. Strabismus and eye motility problems in particular are diagnosed from the ages of one to four.

After the age of four, refractive visual disorders such as myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness) are the most commonly treated pathologies, in addition to prevention or treatment of amblyopia or lazy eye.

Annual check-ups are necessary up to the age of 15, to check the stability of the child’s vision and the development of the eye organs.