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Written By: John Fuda
2005-11-10 07:13:53
What is strabismus?
By the BabyCenter editorial staff, from: http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babyills/babyeyes/10890.html
If your baby's eyes seem to point in different directions or not focus on the same object, he may have 
strabismus ? a lack of coordination between the eyes. They may appear to be "crossed" or one may seem to drift inward, outward, or upward. Strabismus can be constant (meaning the eyes are always crossed or misaligned) or intermittent (meaning it happens now and then). If your baby has strabismus and it isn't treated, his brain could start ignoring the input from one of his eyes, eventually causing the vision in the ignored eye to deteriorate. This condition is known as Amblyopia or "Lazy eye" (see below). Depth perception could also be damaged.
What causes it?
Sometimes strabismus is present at birth. The condition seems to run in families, but can also show up in children with no family history ? and when that's the case, it sometimes indicates a more significant vision problem. Those who are farsighted also seem to be at higher risk.
What can be done to treat strabismus?
Strabismus that's a result of farsightedness can usually be corrected with glasses, especially if caught early. Strabismus that persists even when a child wears glasses may require surgical correction. While the lack of coordination between the eyes centers in the brain, it's not possible to operate on the brain to change the alignment of the eyes. Instead, doctors operate on the eye muscles, which are accessible. That's one reason that the surgery isn't 100 percent successful.
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Written By: John Fuda
2007-06-02 14:38:59
glasses from an optometrist interested in working with children, and ask for a recommendation on the most suitable frame style for your child’s facial features, age, prescription power, and activities. Enquire about a frame guarantee, as these may be available on certain frames. Some frames can be fitted with clip-on sunglasses. They are not essential, but sunglasses are advisable for all children on bright days. Normal adult ear pieces are usually unsuitable for children and adjustments should be made so the glasses will sit more securely. For infants, straps may need to be substituted for ear-pieces to help keep the glasses in place. Flexible hinges are advisable as children tend to be careless when removing their glasses and flexible hinges tolerate a lot more abuse. If the child is old enough, let him/her help select the frame, but follow your optometrist’s advice about size and fit as a child will not wear uncomfortable glasses.Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)
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Written By: John Fuda
2007-06-02 14:38:17
optometrist or optician may advise you on modifying a lens to make it more cosmetically acceptable. High density/thinner materials can be used and the edges of the lenses can be thinned to improve the appearance.Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)
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Written By: John Fuda
2005-11-10 07:31:09
What's the difference between an ophthalmologist, an optometrist, and an optician?
By the BabyCenter editorial staff, from: http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babydevelopment/1437477.html
Ophthalmologists and optometrists both do eye examinations, diagnose and treat vision problems and eye diseases, and prescribe eye glasses and contact lenses. The difference is in their training and the scope of their practice:
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eyes. They have a minimum of eight years of medical training, including three or more years in a hospital eye-residency program. Like any M.D., they can prescribe all types of medication. Ophthalmologists also perform eye surgery of all sorts, and deal with any and all issues involving the eyes, from nearsightedness to the most serious disease.
Optometrists have a minimum of four years of education and training at a school of optometry in eye and vision care, diseases of the eye, and larger health problems that affect the eyes, such as diabetes. The specifics vary by state, but in general optometrists can prescribe some medicines (such as for infections, allergies, or glaucoma) and perform some minor surgery (such as removing a foreign object from the eye).
As a parent, which eye specialist you take your child to might depend on a number of factors, including:
? Referrals by doctors and friends
? Your specific concern about your child's eyes
? Your insurance coverage
? Convenience (office location; how quickly you can get an appointment)
Pediatricians and other M.D.'s might refer you to either an ophthalmologist or an optometrist if your child needs glasses. But if they suspect a more serious disorder or disease, they'll likely refer you to an ophthalmologist. Optometrists also refer patients to ophthalmologists if they detect a serious condition that's beyond their scope (such as a need for cataract surgery).
Opticians make and dispense glasses and other optical items. They're trained to fill the lens prescription provided by the ophthalmologist or the optometrist, in much the same way that pharmacists fill doctors' prescriptions.
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Written By: John Fuda
2007-06-04 09:26:03
- Infections - Some newborns may catch conjunctivitis as they pass through the birth canal. Older babies can get this eye infection through exposure to persons infected with it. Infected eyes appear red and puffy and have a sticky discharge. Antibiotic eye drops may be given as treatment.
- Blocked tear ducts - Tears drain from the eye through a duct, leading from the inside corner of the eyelid, and into the nose. Some babies are born with a blocked tear duct, which causes tears to back up and overflow. As these infants are prone to eye infections, antibiotics may need to be prescribed. In most cases, the tear ducts open on their own by 1 year of age. Sometimes massage therapy of the duct may be needed. Occasionally the ophthalmologist must perform a surgical procedure to unblock the tear duct.
- Cataracts - Inside the eye is a lens that helps it focus, similar to the lens on a camera. The eye’s lens normally is crystal clear. Rarely, babies are born with a cataract- cloudiness of the lens that keeps light from passing through. Cataracts in infants usually are found by the pediatrician during newborn or well-baby exams. If the cataract is severe, the pupil appears white; surgery may be required to remove the cataract.
- strabismus - Strabismus means that the eyes are misaligned. For instance, one eye may be turned in- esotropia (crossed eye)- or turned out- exotropia (walleye). There are actually many forms of strabismus. Eye alignment is normally unsteady at birth but by 4 months of age the eyes should be straight. Any infant who continues to show an eye misalignment after 4 months of age or a child who later acquires strabismus should have a complete Eye Exam. Untreated strabismus may lead to Amblyopia. It is a myth that kids outgrow strabismus.
- Amblyopia - Amblyopia (commonly called Lazy eye) is the medical term for a loss of vision in an apparently healthy eye. This occurs in babies and young children if there is an imbalance between the eyes. In these cases, the child may subconsciously use one eye more often. The other eye will then lose vision due to disuse. An eye imbalance can occur when there is cataract, strabismus, ptosis (droopy eyelid), eye injury or a refractive error that is worse in one eye. Amblyopia usually dose not have symptoms and often is discovered at a school vision screening. It is ideally treated by an eye doctor before the child is 6 to 10 years old, or the vision loss will be permanent. Treatment encourages the child to use the lazy eye by wearing glasses, and/or wearing a patch over the “good” eye or instilling an eye drop to the good eye.
- Ptosis - In a few children, the muscle that raises the upper eyelid fails to develop properly in one or both eyes. This muscle weakness, which causes the upper eyelid to droop, is called ptosis. When an eyelid droops and covers half the eye, that eye may mistakenly appear smaller than the other. Ptosis sometimes may result in amblyopia. If the ptosis is severe, surgery is required to lift the eyelid.
- Retinopathy of Prematurity - If a baby is born prematurely, the blood vessels in the eye that supply the retina are not fully developed. Sometimes these blood vessels develop abnormally and may damage the inside of the eye. Retinopathy of prematurity can be detected only during an ophthalmic exam, which should be performed in premature babies during the first few weeks of life. If the disease is advanced, the eye can be treated to prevent blindness.
- Visual inattention - Sometimes an infant dose not begins to pay attention to visual stimuli by 6 to 8 weeks of age, as is normal. This may be due to delayed development of the visual system, common in premature infants and also occurring in some full-term babies. Often the visual system will mature normally with time. However, visual inattention can also be a sign of eye disease and may result in permanent and/or progressive vision loss. A complete eye exam is in order if a full-term, healthy baby appears visually inattentive after 3 months of age.
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