Children's Eye Health & Safety Month

     September is children's Eye Health and Safety Month and we recommend screening infants for common eye problems at their regular pediatric appointments, as well as vision screenings for all children starting at approximately three years of age.  Some vision problems can be corrected and the effects reversed if detected and treated early.  Some vision problems can be corrected and the effects reversed if detected early.  If visual symptoms or other risk factors are found during a vision screening, the child should then be referred to our Pediatric Ophthalmologist for a comprehensive eye exam.

Eye conditions that may affect children include:

  • Amblyopia
  • Strabismus
  • Ptosis
  • Refractive Errors
  • Congenital abnormalities
  • Tumors

Amblyopia occurs when one eye develops good vision while the other does not.  It can be prevented or reversed if detected early usually before the age of 6, but the sooner, the better.  The treatment first requires attention to the underlying cause, then patching or eye drop therapy.  The most common causes are strabismus (see below) and unequal refractive errors (anisometropia) Glasses or contact lenses are usually prescribed to correct anisometropia.  Other causes include unilateral cataract, corneal scar or congenital ptosis. 

Strabismus is misalignment of the eyes and includes esotropia "crossed eyes", exotropia "drifting eyes", and hypertropia "one eye goes upward".  some forms of strabismus can be corrected with glasses, but many cases require surgery.  If amblyopia is present it should be treated with occlusion or atropine therapy before surgery.

Congenital Ptosis is a drooping of the upper eyelid present from birth.  The lid may droop slightly, or it may completely cover the pupil.  At times ptosis can restrict or block normal vision, causing amblyopia.  Surgery may be required.

Refractive Errors occur when the shape of the eye does not refract light properly, so that the image seen is blurred.  Refractive errors include myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.  Refractive errors can be corrected with glasses or, for older children, contact lenses.  Refractive errors are measured accurately with retinoscopy after dilating the pupils.

Accidental injury to the eyes can happen to anyone and mostly happen to children   To protect children parents should be cautious when purchasing toys or gifts.  Games and toys should be appropriate for the child's age level.  Also children should be supervised whenever handling sharp objects such as scissors.  Parents should keep all harmful chemicals out of reach.  Ordinary household objects can also cause serious eye injury such as paper clips or rubber bands.  If  a child plays sports, goggles with poly-carbonate lenses should be worn especially when playing contact sports and of course fireworks should be avoided and careful monitoring of hooks when fishing. 

Screening is key to early detection and effective treatment.

This message was brought to you by Friedberg Eye Associates and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.




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