Eye doctors today recommend children have their eyes examined before
they can read.
Laura Plummer, MD, pediatric ophthalmologist at Children’s Mercy
Hospitals and Clinics, says there isn’t an age too young for your child
to get her eyes checked.
Dr. Plummer says early detection can help catch eye disorders like,
amblyopia or lazy eye. Amblyopia is the most common visual impairment
in childhood.
“A child’s vision develops between the ages of eight and ten years old,
so if we can catch an eye disorder early, it’s easier to treat at an
earlier age,” Dr. Plummer says.
Dr. Plummer says talk to your doctor about any family history of eye
conditions, including:
- Retinoblastoma: a malignant tumor that usually appears in the first
three years of life. The affected eye may have visual loss and
whiteness in the pupil.
- Infantile cataracts: this can occur in newborns. A cataract is a
gradual clouding of the eye's lens.
- Congenital glaucoma: a rare condition that may be inherited. It’s
the result of incorrect or incomplete development of the eye drainage
canals during the prenatal period.
- Genetic or metabolic diseases of the eye: such as inherited
disorders that make a child more likely to develop retinoblastoma or
cataracts.
Dr. Plummer recommends if your child is squinting or tilting her head
when watching TV, she should have her eyes looked at right away.
