Often, we see that our children complain us about having headaches. One of the basic things we can do as parents is taking the child to an optometrist. This is to rule out whether there is any kind of vision problems which the child is facing or not. At times vision related headaches can be due to too much computer games, reading, video games etc.
The kids of modern times are exposed to the use of color televisions, smart phones, computers, and other technical gadgets which often harms their vision if not supervised. If you find your children having difficulties in visualizing something from a certain distance, then you should not waste time to go to a children’s optometrist.
Why children’s optometrist is essential?
Getting eye exam done by a children’s optometrist is extremely important for the eye health. This helps us ensure that there is no vision related problem which will be in tervening with the potentials of the child as they are growing up. A specialized optometrist who has the right training and formal education can understand the problem more deeply than the general eye physician. The very first extensive eye examination must be scheduled right when the child is 6 months age. And then they can be done at 3 years and then in between 5th and 6th years. For school going children once in two years an extensive examination of the eye must be done.
Role of children’s optometrist:
- Unique role: The role of the children’s optometrist differs from the general eye doctors. Any child who has a vision problem or an eye health ailment will be facing end number of obstructions as they grow up in life. Socially, academically as well as athletically they will face barriers. Children optometrists are totally dedicated towards removing such barriers and give your child a health and normal life.
- Corrective measures taken fast: The element of vision does not occur just like that. Just how a child learns using their legs so do they learn using the eye with the help of the brain. But if vision related problems are not corrected sooner than the brain learns this and begins accommodating for it. Hence comprehensive eye examination for six-month-old children is a must to begin with. Child optometrists will examine whether there is any sign of damage in the eyes of the kid and provide a corrective measure fast.
- Things to check in the child: It is best that the Children’s optometrist undergoes an eye examination when the child is alert and in a pleasant mood. In general, the child will be asked to read letters, vision testing, and eye alignment testing, testing to see whether eyeglasses are needed and making an overall evaluation.
- Questionnaires evaluation: Children’s optometrists will also come up with specific questionnaires where you will be asked to answer some crucial questions at first. For any doctor it is extremely significant to know about the patient history before beginning a diagnosis.
- Any prematurity related history.
- Complications at birth or pregnancy.
- Motor development delayed.
- Eye rubbing gesture frequently.
- Squinting.
- Unable to maintain eye contact.
- Any misalignment of the eye.
- Unable to fixate the gaze on one object.
- Poor eye tracking abilities.
- Any current medication details.
Sooner or later we all will be requiring eyeglasses as with age our eyesight degrades. However young children must be diagnosed and regularly monitored so they can lead a healthy life. An intervention is needed every once in a year to be absolutely safe about the eye health and vision of your child.
