We usually tend to associate eye problems with old age but the fact is that eye problems can affect anybody irrespective of their age. Children especially are prone to a lot of eye problems that can severely affect their quality of life. While some of these problems are congenital or genetic, a lot of these are also a result of unhealthy lifestyle practices and excessive use of technology. Nowadays children tend to spend a lot of time sitting in front of a television or computer screen or using mobiles and this leads to a lot of strain on their eyes.
Children are usually affected by refractive eye defects like myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism. The human eye has a very complex structure and entirely works on the principle of refraction. The light coming from an object passed through the lens and the cornea and is focused on the retina where this light is converted into electric signals which are sent to the brain via the optic nerve. Refractive eye defects are caused by the inability of the eye to focus the light on the retina.
• Myopia - the problem is commonly known as nearsightedness. A child suffering from this problem is clearly able to see the objects lying nearby but is not clearly able to see the objects that are lying far off. This happens because, in a person suffering from myopia, the light rays coming from the object are focused in front of the retina instead of focusing on the retina.
• Hypermetropia (Hyperopia) - the problem is also known as farsightedness and is completely opposite of myopia. The child can clearly see the objects lying far off but experiences a lot of difficulty in seeing an object lying nearby as the light rays coming from the object are focused behind the retina instead of focusing on it. There are a lot of children who are suffering from the problem but are not able to figure it out. Such children face difficulty while studying.
• Astigmatism - the condition is marked by a blurred and distorted vision that is caused by the inability of the eye to focus the light coming from the object evenly on the retina.
Apart from these refractive eye defects, there are many other eye problems that can affect your children as well. These include the following:
• Glaucoma - it refers to a group of conditions that severely damage the optic nerve and is often marked by excessive pressure inside the eye. Paediatric glaucoma can be genetic as well as developed as a result of a chronic eye injury. The problem may also be hereditary and in many cases, the cause is not known. Glaucoma affects nearly 1 out of every 10,000 children. General symptoms include blurring of vision, light sensitivity, colour blindness and if left untreated it can also lead to permanent visual impairment.
• Conjunctivitis - commonly known as pink eye, the problem is marked by inflammation in the conjunctiva and may be a result of a bacterial or viral infection or allergic reactions to certain chemical substances. The prime can lead to redness and irritation in the eyes accompanied by itching and watery eyes. It can also lead to light sensitivity.
• Amblyopia - also known as lazy eye, the problem is caused by the wrong alignment of the eyes and requires proper diagnosis and treatment.
•Dry eyes - dry eyes in children can be very painful in the case of children and is caused by the inability of the eyes to produce enough tears. The problem may be congenital or developed later due to some underlying medical problem or lack of proper nutrition.
• Retinitis Pigmentosa - the problem is caused by deterioration of the tissues of the retina and can lead to night blindness and gradual loss of vision. It is very important to seek medical help immediately and get your child treated to avoid unnecessary complications.
• Uveitis - the problem is marked by inflammation in the eye and can affect either one eye at a time or both eyes simultaneously. The problem is very serious and can lead to permanent visual impairment.
All these problems can severely affect the vision of your child and hence it is advisable to consult a specialist and get your child treated while there is still time.
Hence, just like adults, eye problems can also affect children and as such, it is very important for the parents to know about these and seek proper medical help in case your child is showing the symptoms related to any of these. You can easily find an oculoplastic surgery hospital in Delhi to get your child treated. Delhi is a hub for some of the best pediatric ophthalmologists who resort to the use of the latest techniques and methods to help your child. Majority of eye disease treatment hospitals in Delhi offer treatment for both adults as well as children.
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