Having children can be a wonderful and life changing experience. One day, he or she is not here and the next day, you welcome a new member of your family. In addition, you are responsible for this new member for at least 18 years. This is why they deserve pediatric eye care Grand Rapids trusts. It’s important for parents to understand common childhood vision problems, so these issues can be avoided or corrected.
When Should Proper Eye Care Begin?
As soon as your child is born, you and your doctor should check for vision abnormalities. However, most eye professionals recommend an eye exam as soon as they are 6 months old. This is very important because some types of eye problems are easily corrected when the child is young.
Have your child’s eyes checked again at around 3 years of age. Also, before starting school, an eye exam is very important and can help children avoid learning difficulties.
Because children’s vision can change as they age, it’s best to have regular eye exams. Every other year is a good rule of thumb, while they are in school.
What are Common Childhood Vision Problems?
Disorders involving eye muscle development are very common. For example, your child may have strabismus or abnormal eye alignment. This condition can affect one or both eyes and if untreated, disorders like lazy eye or crossed eyes can develop.
The right pediatric eye care in Grand Rapids can successfully treat most cases of strabismus in children. Your eye doctor may prescribe special eye drops or an eye patch to train the wandering eye. Several treatment options are available including eyeglasses and in some cases, surgery. In addition the doctor will check your child for underlying medical conditions. Treatment will depend on the type of eye misalignment the child is experiencing.
Young Children May Not Be Able to Tell You
When a child is very young, he or she may not inform you of a vision problem. In fact, toddlers may not understand about vision disorders, but you may be able to notice something is wrong, for example:
- Does he or she constantly rub the eyes?
- Does the child has a problem with bright lights or discomfort when going out of doors? Light sensitivity could be a sign of a problem.
- Do your child’s eyes appear red or irritated much of the time? Perhaps there is frequent watering or tearing.
Your kids deserve the best pediatric eye care Grand Rapids has to offer. Don’t wait until there is a problem or you could be too late. Make an appointment for an exam with your ophthalmologist soon.
When you want the kind of pediatric eye care Grand Rapids trusts, come to Grand Rapids Ophthalmology. We have eye care professionals dedicated to giving your kids the best of care.