Pediatric ophthalmology – is one of the mainstreams in the activity of the ophthalmologic clinic "SVIT ZORU".
Owing to strong eyes, children cognize visual environment. At the pinafore stage of existence the visual apparatus of a child makes the most active progress, sense of sight is formed. At this particular time the best effect can be reached in correcting the revealed diseases. Therefore, the pediatric ophthalmology deals with diagnostics and treatment of eye diseases of children under 18, started in due time.
Your kid grows up, lives through important time of germination, and first visual loads can seriously affect his/her visual quality. Unfortunately, many parents adhere to the opinion that they should not have the infantile ophthalmologist examine their child unless there is an obvious need thereto (eyelid reddening, lacrimation, eye discharge, strabismus). Such an opinion is a common mistake. After all, in contrast to adults, visual system of a child is in the process of permanent development. All children are born with hyperopia, since they have "a short eye" of 16 mm, whereas adult eye is 24 mm.
First examination of child's eyes is made by a neonatologist already at a maternity hospital in order to reveal congenital diseases and anomalies of eyes. In the event that such diseases are revealed the parents receive detailed recommendations.
The pediatric ophthalmology considers the congenital pathology of the visual organ as the result of disturbance of the eye tissue development in the prenatal period of a child development. The reasons can be mother's infectious diseases during pregnancy, effects of toxic substances over this period, X-ray exposure, radioactive radiation and so on. According to the pediatric ophthalmology the hereditary factor is of paramount importance in formation of congenital eye anomalies. For instance, such severe congenital diseases as glaucoma and cataract sometimes are passed on from generation to generation.
Child's visual acuity agrees with his/her age. The pediatric ophthalmology regards discrepancy of vision with developmental norms as the absolute indication for detailed examination by the medical specialist.
The pediatric ophthalmology subdivides all reasons of vision worsening into optical and sensory. Optical reasons relate to opacity of eye optical media (cornea, lens, vitreous body) or anomalous structure of eye optical system (congenital anomalies of eyeball development). Sensory reasons relate to imperceptions of light waves by retina in case of its disorder, disturbance of neurotransmission through nerve fibers or distortion of visual patterns processing in brain.
Optical disorder of childrens' vision according to the pediatric ophthalmology includes the following widely met eye diseases: myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, since the reason of these diseases is inferiority of light ray refraction by eye optical system.
Children's eye disease treatment has a complex character and is chosen for each little patient individually taking into account peculiarities of his/her eyes. It is very important to undergo medical examination in dynamics and to correct in case of need the program of treatment.