When adults have an eye problem, they immediately seek medical help. But when children have an eye problem, they are often unable to fully express what is bothering them. Yet, their tender eyes need patient and meticulous care from qualified eye doctors who specialize in children’s eye care.
The past few years have seen remarkable advances in clinical eye care for children. Pediatric ophthalmology is a subspecialty of ophthalmology, with a focus on eye disorders and vision care in children.
Doctors who are qualified in and practice paediatric ophthalmology, are known as paediatric ophthalmologists. They diagnose and treat children’s eye conditions. As they manage eye care of children, they are often referred to as eye doctors for children. If you are wondering — what can I expect from a paediatric ophthalmologist — then here are certain services that they typically provide:
Conduct eye tests
Prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses
Provide treatment for eye injuries
Diagnose visual processing disorders
Perform surgery, microsurgery, and laser surgery (for problems like weak eye muscles, crossed eyes, wandering eyes, blocked tear ducts, retinal problems, and infections)
Diagnose problems of the eye caused by diseases like diabetes or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and other medical and neurological diseases
One of the most common and important services offered by a paediatric ophthalmologist is conducting eye tests or eye exams, as well as diagnosing eye conditions and common eye problems in children.
If your child’s eyes are unhealthy or have vision problems, it could hinder his/her performance in school. Not just in the classroom, but also sports and other extracurricular activities. Moreover, it could affect your child’s safety. And the risk of myopia would be looming over the years. No child’s life deserves to be affected due to poor vision or inadequate eye health. This is why early eye exams are not just nice-to-have, but absolutely critical.