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1. At what age should a child's eyes be examine for the first time?
Pre-term children with a birth weight of less than 1500gr should be examined around the fourth week after birth to exclude or confirm the existence of retinopathy of prematurity. These individuals should be continuous monitored throughout their childhood.
Children with hearing deficits, muscle problems and neurological deficits should be examined as soon as possible.
Children with a family history of strabismus or amblyopia should be tested around the age of 2 years. Normal children are tested by their pediatrician with regard to visual function and are referred to the pediatric ophthalmologist if there is a problem. If at time parents feel that something is wrong with their child's eyes, they may ask for the advice of a pediatric ophthalmologist.
2. Is there a problem that my child sits very close to the TV?
Most children love to watch TV close up. If there are no other findings, such behavior is considered normal.
3. My child does not speak or do not recognize letters and numbers, how will he be tested?
Visual function is often indirectly concluded from behavior. There are tests that do not require the child's verbal confirmation. Most times the comparison of the two eyes it is more important. In older children, who are able to speak, games or cards are used to test their vision. Also there are objective tests to check vision at any age or the need for corrective spectacles without the need of the child's response.
The complete anatomical examination of the bulb by the pediatric ophthalmologist will reveal anatomical abnormalities that may affect the child's vision.
4. My child is cross-eyed. We he overcome this problem?
Pseudostrabismus is the most common reason for referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist. Most young children give the impression that their eyes are turned toward the nose. This is due to their head being small and large base of the nose, which hides part of the white of the eye on the side of the nose. As the child grows this cross-eyed impression ceases to exist. This led to the misconception that the child can overcome the problem (pseudostrabismus). When there is true strabismus, however, the child needs help from the pediatric ophthalmologist because the problem will not go away on its own.
5. My child complains of headaches. Could it be due to his eyes?
There are various causes of headache. The examination must be started by your pediatrician. Most pediatricians will also refer the child to a pediatric ophthalmologist for the examination of eye disorders. An eye assessment may give an interpretation of the headaches even though in most cases these are not caused by eye problems.
6. I have hyperopia and my husband has myopia. Will my child need glasses?
The children's eyes resemble those of their parents. If parents wore glasses in kindergarten, children must be examined before the age of three, unless they are cross-eyed or there is suspicion of visual impairment and therefore should be examined as soon as possible. School myopia usually begins in elementary school and detected by the child or the pediatrician.
7. My child has difficulty reading, is there a problem with his eyes?
Dyslexia and related problems are usually encountered by specialist psychologists. On occasion an ophthalmological assessment is required to exclude visual problems, which are rare.