When my sister was in elementary school, she started always sitting in the front row of desks at school. One of her teachers noticed this habit and arranged a meeting with my parents. This caring teacher told my parents that she thought my sister needed glasses. When my sister visited an optometrist, this professional diagnosed her with a severe case of astigmatism. He also informed my parents that she was nearsighted as well. Due to her eye issues, my sister had to start wearing glasses all of the time. Her new glasses helped her tremendously in school. She no longer had to sit in the front of the classroom in order to view the notes placed on the board. On this blog, you will discover the importance of getting your kids’ eyes checked by an optometrist before enrolling them in school.
The eyes are supposed to work as a team and focus on the same object at the same time, but sometimes, kids aren't able to do this. Only one of their eyes will focus on the object they want to look at, while the other eye will point in a completely different direction. Optometrists call this condition strabismus, but you might know it as crossed eyes. Here are three ways that it can be treated.
Eyeglasses
Eyeglasses are the first treatment for strabismus. Strabismus can occur when one eye has better vision than the other, and the weaker eye struggles to focus. The weaker eye's attempts to keep up with the stronger eye cause it to move independently of the other, causing strabismus.
Prescription eyeglasses will help your child's weaker eye see properly, so it won't need to struggle as much to keep up with the stronger eye. Your child will need to wear their new glasses all the time for the treatment to be effective. Sometimes, eyeglasses are all that's needed to fix strabismus.
Vision therapy
Some children will still have crossed eyes, even after wearing eyeglasses. This can sometimes be corrected with vision therapy, a treatment that attempts to teach the two eyes to work together. Optometrists use a variety of tools such as prisms, lenses, and even computerized vision games to help the eyes learn to focus on the same object.
Vision therapy can treat some cases of strabismus, depending on the severity of the condition and other factors. One study found that 73% of children who received vision therapy were either cured of strabismus or had less severe symptoms.
Surgery
If non-invasive treatments like
During this procedure, a surgeon will detach the muscles from the side of the eyes and reattach them in slightly different positions. The muscles are sewn in place with temporary knots so that the surgery can easily be repeated if the alignment of the eyes isn't perfect.
Strabismus can be treated in many ways, so if you think your child has this condition, see an optometrist right away. To find out more, contact a professional like Webster Eye Care Associates.
Share24 April 2015
