80% of what your child learns in their first 12 years comes through their eyes. Now imagine that vision blurred, details fuzzy, colors muted. It’s a common worry, as children often lack the awareness or words to express vision problems. That’s where Grewal Eye Institute’s Pediatric Ophthalmology team steps in!
We go beyond simple eye tests, offering comprehensive care for a spectrum of childhood vision needs. From gentle exams to specialized treatments for nearsightedness, lazy eye, or crossed eyes, our dedicated team equips your child with the tools to see the world clearly. Don’t let undiagnosed issues dim their future.
Arrival of a new-born brings happiness to the entire family. The baby becomes the cynosure of all eyes. But for the parents, it is important to look beyond the color of their little one’s eyes. They should examine the baby’s eyes to ensure there aren’t any gross abnormalities. Any eye abnormality detected at birth should be immediately brought to the notice of an eye specialist. A neonate’s eyes are slightly smaller than adults. It takes only two years for a baby’s eyes to develop to adult size.
Eye infection in newborns are common. Between birth till four weeks, a baby can suffer neonatal conjunctivitis. This infection needs to be controlled by using appropriate antibiotics. Continuous watering from one or both eyes, accompanied by copious discharge is a frequent problem in babies. During the first four weeks of a baby’s life, tear secretions are less than normal. Any watering from eyes during this period is abnormal. Discharge and watering from the eyes at birth suggests infection, while the same symptoms in a three week or older baby, suggest failure of tear ducts to open.
An examination is required to make a diagnosis. If watering does not stop by four months, probing the passage may be required to open them. Delay in treatment may result in a major surgery later on to make alternate passage. Buphthalmos or infantile glaucoma is a baby born with ‘Kala Motia’ and symptoms include watering and sensitivity to light. The eye is bluish and big in size due to increased pressure in the eye. It needs treatment with drops followed by surgery. Repeated examinations may be done under anaesthesia. Failure to treat leads to permanent damage to optic nerve and complete blindness.
The cornea should appear normal at this stage. An opacity or raised mass on the front part of eye is abnormal. It could be a dermoid, a benign but cosmetic situation that is treatable with surgery. Any obvious abnormality of the eyelid should be taken seriously. It is not often, but a child may have a congenital coloboma, a condition in which a part of eyelid may be missing. Normally lids cover upper 1-2mm of cornea. In case it covers more than that, it’s a condition called drooping of the eyelid or Ptosis. The lid can be lifted up with surgery.
It is important to make assessment of the alignment of the eyes and vision. Parents must keep an eye on baby’s eyes. Early identification and treatment is important and can actually change the way your baby looks at the world.
For children, it’s mandatory that the first prescription of glasses is given only after cycloplegic refraction. The term cycloplegic refraction refers to the assessment of an eye’s refractive error after lens accommodation has been paralyzed with cycloplegic eyedrops (to eliminate variability in optical power caused by a contracting lens).
A child has strong focusing power and he cannot relax his eyes completely for an accurate assessment of the number. Therefore, it is necessary that some drops be used to temporarily knock out the focusing mechanism, so that an accurate assessment of the required number can be procured. A few days after the cycloplegic refraction, the child has to undergo a re-examination for the final prescription of glasses. These drops lead to some temporary blurring of vision for a day or two, so the child may experience glares when out in the sun.
By and large, the acceptance of glasses by children is exceptionally good. However, at times, parents tend to be a little reluctant to their child using glasses. The parents should not make a fuss about their child wearing glasses. They should also make their child believe that he looks good in glasses, so that he doesn’t feel inferior to other kids.
Another important aspect for parents to be aware of is that as children grow taller, there is a possibility of changes in their vision. It’s crucial to remember that 90% of our learning occurs through our eyes. Not wearing glasses can hinder your child’s learning process. Therefore, regular vision checkups are essential, ideally at least twice a year.
Prioritize your eye health—schedule your appointment at the best eye hospital in Chandigarh for the care your eyes deserve!
