A pediatric ophthalmologist specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and surgery of those eye disorders that are unique to children.
The brain cells that control our vision are not fully developed, or mature, when we are born. These cells are developing throughout the first decade of life. Because of the immaturity of the child's visual system, disorders that may have little effect on an adult's ability to see can have a profound and life-long effect on a child's vision. Poor vision due to inadequate stimulation of these brain cells, amblyopia (lazy eye), is a common cause of loss of vision in this age group.
Pediatric Eye Problems
Strabismus is a misalignment of the eyes where the two eyes are pointed in different directions. One eye may be directed straight ahead while the other eye is turned inward, outward, upward, or downward.
Treatment for strabismus is most effective when the child is young. It becomes more difficult to treat strabismus and establish binocularity (using both eyes together) as the child grows older, but cosmetic straightening of the eyes remains possible at any age.
Refractive Error of the eye refers to nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. Babies and children are usually mildly to moderately farsighted, but do not require glasses for correction of this condition. Some large or unusual refractive errors do require glasses or even contact lenses in infants and children. Uncorrected, unusual refractive errors can lead to amblyopia and loss of vision.
Amblyopia is poor vision in an eye that did not develop normal sight during early childhood. It is sometimes called "lazy eye".
When one eye develops good vision while the other does not, the eye with poorer vision is called amblyopic. Usually, only one eye is affected by amblyopia.
Success in the treatment of amblyopia also depends upon:
If the problem is detected and treated early, vision can improve for most children.
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