PEDIATRIC VISION

Children’s Vision is essential for education. Regular eye examinations are essential for children to ensure they have the best vision for learning. Eye examinations for children and students, under 17yrs are always FREE at Vision Express. Children’s Frames are priced from $195 XCD . Children’s clear prescription lenses are Free and there is a reduced price $100 XCD for Sunsensor “change in the sun“ lenses.

Computer Use by Children

When first introduced, computers were almost exclusively used by adults. Today, children increasingly use these devices both for education and recreation. Millions of children use computers on a daily basis at school and at home. Children can experience many of the same symptoms related to computer use as adults. Extensive viewing of the computer screen can lead to eye discomfort, fatigue, blurred vision and headaches. It is important to monitor the use of computers with children. Ensuring they spend time outdoors is vital. It is possible to have lenses in children’s glasses which offer some protection against the blue light from computer screens. But careful parental monitoring on usage is still vital.

 Medical Eye problems in children.

Amblyopia and Strabismus can be carefully checked with the use of a synotophore which measures the imbalance of eye muscles so any problem can be diagnosed and treated with Vision Therapy or Surgery. The Synoptophore in Vision Express is in the Castries Clinic. If any children in the South of the island need checking the synotophore can be moved to the Vieux Fort Clinic.

Amblyopia or “Lazy Eye”

Amblyopia occurs when, for one of several reasons, one eye is used less than the other. If one eye is crossed or turns out, the individual sees double, so he or she learns to “shut off” or ignore that eye. If the two eyes are very different, one nearsighted and the other farsighted, the same thing can occur. After a while, vision in the unused eye is reduced. Small children often have their stronger eye patched for several hours a day. This stimulates the use of the weak eye while they perform exercises 

Vision therapy is usually several hours a week, partly in the Vision Express Optometrists office, and also at home. This treatment will often correct the underlying reason for the lazy eye. Very small children can improve in a month or two, older children may take several months to a year to respond.

Strabismus

Strabismus is a visual problem in which the eyes are not aligned properly and point in different directions. One eye may look straight ahead, while the other eye turns inward, outward, upward or downward. The eye turn may be constant, or it may come and go. Which eye is straight or misaligned may switch or alternate. The exact cause of strabismus is not fully understood. In some cases, strabismus may be due to problems with the muscles controlling eye movement. To line up and focus both eyes on a single target, all of the muscles in each eye must be balanced and working together. In order for the eyes to move together, the muscles in both eyes must be coordinated. The brain controls these muscles.

With normal vision, both eyes aim at the same spot. The brain then combines the two pictures into a single, three-dimensional image. This three-dimensional image gives us depth perception. When one eye is out of alignment, two different pictures are sent to the brain. In a young child, the brain learns to ignore the image of the misaligned eye and sees only the image from the straight or better-seeing eye. The child then loses depth perception. Glasses will help with the vision problem but surgery is sometimes needed to correct the underlying problem. Surgery can be arranged with Dr Garcia at Vision Express Surgery Centre