Poor Eyesight in Children
January 6, 2009
Parents suffer great deal of anxiety when they get to know that their child needs to wear glasses. It is often considered a disorder, an ailment even. What they fail to realize is that this is not such a serious problem, but a minor correction of an imperfection in the body.
Today, almost thirty percent of children are known to need corrections in their eyesight, a figure that has risen greatly from earlier times. This can be contributed to eating and other lifestyle habits, and also hereditary factors.
No two individuals are similar. They may differ in their height, skin colour and also hair colour. Similarly, the refractive powers of individuals also varies. Shortfalls in these refractive powers cause the need to wear glasses.
The normal age that children find the need to wear glasses is between eight and ten. Some are even born with it. As children grow, the size of the eye and refractive powers do not increase. This could also contribute to the need for glasses.
The need to wear glasses is difficult to assess in children. They do not know they are unable to see well, and sometimes cannot articulate their discomfort. Teachers should pay attention to signs like incorrect copying or attention deficits. It is important to detect and correct eye problems early to prevent further deterioration.
It is a myth that once you wear glasses the problem is solved for life. Refractors have a size. As children grow, so too do the refractors. As long as you grow, there is the chance for the ability to see clearly to keep changing. At about sixteen or seventeen, where growth is more or less complete, the changes in the eye are stabilized. Treatments like laser intervention can then be conducted.
Lenses can be an option for children who have vision problems. This is a method that can be suggested only after the child is about ten or twelve. Although safe, it is important for the child to be at an age where he can understand and care for lenses well.
Lenses should only be bought from doctors, and not purchased as a commodity, as they are available today. Especially for children, it is vital that lenses be made to suit the size, shape and structure of the eye.
It is very important to check for problems and cure them immediately. If not, it can cause not onle deterioration in sight, but also hampers the functioning of the brain, as it will work and process only the amount it can see. Regular check ups are very important, at least every six months for those with corrected eyesight, and annually for others.
my son is 8 and half years old. he is tall, gud looking, gud health.
w i am facing two major problems with , one is vision- eye sight and other is protuding upper jaw.
I got his eye sight checked, he wears glasses of +1.5 power. I hv confusion regarding the power. He doesn’t have reading problem. please guide me.I took him to orthodentist also. he got his removable appliences for the upper jaw? he wore it for 6 months. no remarkable change.
I took him to ENT, he has been operated for adenoids. as doc diagonised blocked nasal passage. My poor child, really suffering.
plz guide us
thank you