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Did you know that early intervention in children's vision is the key to success?
- 80% of learning comes through vision.
- In the first year of life, then by at least age 3 or 4, the child needs a comprehensive eye exam.
- 6 months old is not too early.
Even though a school vision screening, nurse evaluation or Pediatrician screening is important, it doesn't take the place of a comprehensive eye exam by an eyecare professional. Some symptoms of an undetected vision problem include: Decreased performance in school, aversion to reading, excessive blinking, rubbing eyes, headache or inability to see 3-D movies.
This could indicate conditions such as amblyopia (lazy eye), nearsightedness (myopia), astigmatism, or farsightedness (hyperopia) that can be corrected with glasses.
More serious conditions may need surgery such as Esotropia, where the eye turns in, or Exotropia where the eye turns out.
Although school screenings, nurses, and pediatricians are extremely valuable, they don't take the place of a comprehensive eye exam by an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist.
In fact, school screenings can give a false sense of security. There are visual skills necessary for reading beyond just reading an eye chart. If kids frequently lose their place while reading, they may benefit from glasses or vision exercises or therapy.
Vision Therapy is training of the eyes that help problems glasses alone do not.
A comprehensive exam can also reveal more serous threats to vision and health in children. A more rare but life threatening condition is a fast growing eye tumor called retinoblastoma. It is life threatening because the proximity of the eye is so close to the brain that fast intervention is critical. This is a condition that parents might notice by looking at pictures of the eyes and noticing a "white pupil."
Parents also need to also be aware of social issue, Shaken Baby Syndrome that is on the rise. It causes brain and retinal hemorrhage, as well as detachment and even death. Children up to age 3 do not have strong enough neck muscles to protect the vital organs from damage.
It is fine to bounce a baby on your knee in a playful manner, but Shaken Baby Syndrome happens when a forceful angry shaking occurs by an adult.
Resources to find out more information on children's vision can be found through your local eye care provider or websites such as American Optometric Association .
Also look for the InfantSEE program. It is a no cost public health program for early detection in the first year of life.
Don't Shake is the National center on Shaken Baby Syndrome
And American Academy of Pediatrics
The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of EYEiQ
Bariatric surgery is on the rise nationwide because of increases in obesity. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) more than one-third of US adults are obese. Obesity has dramatically increased in the last ten years and diet, exercise, medications, as well as weight loss surgery are viable options for this condition. However, there is a precaution to be aware of... the surgery can put you at risk for vision loss.
According to an international journal, Obesity Journal, patients need to be educated on the risk of vision loss after weight loss surgery. Vitamin A deficiency has been linked to vision complications after bariatric surgery. Many vitamins must be in place to ensure proper functioning of the visual system. Among them are vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), E, and the mineral copper. It is important after surgery to implement a nutritional supplement program because typically patients can develop food intolerance or eat less after surgery. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies.
Lack of Vitamin A can lead to many pathological conditions of the eye such as night blindness, infections of the cornea, dry eye syndrome, or in rare conditions: blindness. Vitamin A is also vital to for healthy DNA, immune system and healthy skin.
Foods rich in Vitamin A include: sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy green vegetables, squash, Romaine lettuce, dried apricots, cantaloupe, sweet red peppers, tuna, and mangos.
After any type of weight loss surgery, patients should be monitored and prescribed supplements to offer maximum protection of their precious eyesight.
The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of EYEiQ
