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CategoriesOphthalmology,  Pediatric

Crossed Eyes: When Do You Need To Look Out For Strabismus Problems In Your Children?

Crossed Eyes: When Do You Need To Look Out For Strabismus Problems In Your Children?

Strabismus (crossed eyes) is a common condition that can affect children and adults. When a child has issues with their vision, it is unlikely for them to inform anyone about it. So, it is up to parents to identify any signs and take them to a Paediatric Ophthalmologist Dubai. Hence, in this blog, we will explore some of the symptoms a parent could observe.

What is strabismus?

It is a condition that causes a person’s eyes to not look at the same place simultaneously. It typically occurs in those who have weak muscle control in the eyes or are extremely far-sighted.

The eye is connected to six muscles that control its movement according to the signals they receive from the brain. In a person without the condition, the eyes work together, so they are directed toward the same place. When issues affect the muscles, an eye may turn in different directions and not sync with the other one.

This uncontrollable turning may appear all the time or occur when a person is ill, tired, or has done work from a close distance. Typically only one will turn but is it possible for both to be affected at the same time.

Eye doctors will try to align the eye properly so they can preserve a person’s vision. Without treatment, a person may start seeing double images, have poor depth perception, and lose their vision in the affected eye. Over time the brain will ignore the information being sent from the eye, reducing vision permanently and leading to a lazy eye. 

How can parents identify the condition?

Children, as mentioned above, may not be inclined to tell their parents of any issues with their vision, so it is up to them to figure it out. Luckily strabismus can be recognized with relative ease, as its symptoms tend to be prominent.

Eyes that appear to be misaligned
A person’s eyes nearly always are directed toward the same thing; however, that is not the case with those suffering from this condition. So, parents may notice a misalignment in their child’s eyes.

Eyes that move separately
The child’s eyes may not move together. One might have erratic movements and face a different direction to the other.

Frequent squinting or blinking
Due to the misalignment and blurry vision, a child may frequently blink or squint to gain a clearer image. Bright sunlight can also cause this to happen as the eyes will be more sensitive than they typically are.

Tilting the head when looking at objects
To reduce the effect of double vision, children will tilt their heads.

Bumping into things and breaking objects
Due to the misalignment, children will lack depth perception; therefore, they will not assess the distance of objects, resulting in bumping into them or breaking them by keeping them away from their intended surface.

Strabismus can be treated by vision therapy and, in severe cases, eye surgery. So when parents notice the above symptoms, they need to consult an eye clinic as soon as possible.

CategoriesOphthalmology,  Pediatric

Congenital Conditions: Understanding The 3 Common Conditions Found In Newborns

Congenital Conditions: Understanding The 3 Common Conditions Found In Newborns

Among the numerous children’s eye problems, there can be ones acquired at birth due to genetics or other defects. Identifying these diseases at the earliest and treating them can help your child have normal vision with growth without facing unfortunate vision loss conditions. This article will look into three common congenital eye conditions that can be found in newborns for your reference.

What Are Congenital Eye Conditions?

These are a group of eye conditions that are present from birth. They can be passed through genes due to diseases or other deficiencies during pregnancy. The eye problems can affect the eyesight even lead to partial or complete blindness.

Most congenital eye conditions can be diagnosed at the early stages by having regular eye exams of the children. Early diagnosis by eye specialists can help avoid worsening the state and even have normal vision with immediate corrections.

Congenital Cataracts

A congenital cataract is the cloudiness of the eye lens that happens before birth. This can happen during the first year in certain babies. The condition can affect one or both eyes of the child. Depending on the cause and size, these can develop into eye conditions such as strabismus, amblyopia, glaucoma, or retinal detachment.

The condition can usually be diagnosed during the newborn eye exam. Surgery is generally performed within 6 to 8 weeks of age to remove the cloudy part. An artificial lens will replace the natural eye lens here.

Strabismus

This is another common eye condition in children that can acquire during birth. Here, the eyes do not align properly with each other when focusing on an object. Strabismus can lead to amblyopia or cause loss of depth perception over time. It occurs due to muscle dysfunction, trauma, problems in the brain, etc. Corrective eye surgery or patching the good eye is required depending on the severity of each condition. This will help the brain use the affected eye and make it work similar to that of the good one. It is essential to treat the situation as it can lead to permanent amblyopia if left untreated.

Congenital Glaucoma

This is a condition where the eye pressure of infants increases due to a congenital disability. Poor development of the eye’s angle results in abnormalities in fluid flow, increasing the eye pressure. The increased pressure damages the optic nerve of the eye, causing vision loss situations.

A comprehensive eye examination by your eye specialist is required to diagnose the condition. Photophobia, watery eyes, and keeping eyes closed is a few common symptoms that parents can notice in infants. Eye drops and medications are given to infants until the infants are ready to perform surgery. Early diagnosis can help to maintain the pressure without causing significant irreversible vision loss stages.

Make sure to take your child to a Pediatric Ophthalmologist Dubai and get regular comprehensive eye examinations for early treatments. If you have a history of chronic eye conditions, ensure to inform your doctor with details for a thorough inspection.

At Quironsalud, we have specialized pediatric ophthalmologists to work with infants and children. If your child is experiencing a vision issue, our professionals can help by conducting a comprehensive eye examination and provide viable treatment options. Contact us now for your child’s eye appointment.

CategoriesOphthalmology,  Pediatric

Orbital And Periorbital Cellulitis: How Do They Affect Your Childs Eye Condition

Orbital And Periorbital Cellulitis: How Do They Affect Your Childs Eye Condition

Eye infections among children are quite normal with their daily activities, which include playing outside. However, every eye infection does not go away on its own and needs to be treated promptly to avoid complications. This article will look into such two conditions, orbital and periorbital cellulitis, and how it can affect your child’s eye condition.

About Orbital And Periorbital Cellulitis

Orbital and periorbital cellulitis are two types of infections that can be commonly seen among younger children. Periorbital causes in the eyelid and around the eye, whereas orbital affects the eyeball and surrounding tissues.

The septum is a membrane in the eye that separates the front and the back of the eye. Periorbital cellulitis can affect the structure of the septum, and hence it is also called preseptal cellulitis. Both conditions are due to the bacteria that live on the skin or come externally.

Symptoms And Causes

Periorbital Cellulitis – The condition often occurs due to an insect bite or scratch around the eyes. The occurrence can lead to skin infections. Swelling, tenderness, pain, and redness are the common symptoms of this cellulitis. Children may also find it difficult to open the eye due to swelling. However, vision distortions will not occur.

Orbital Cellulitis – This can be a result of sinuses complication. Eye traumas, infections in the tear duct, face, teeth, or ear can also cause the spread. Swellings, pain, double vision, redness, blurry vision, tenderness are the symptoms of this condition. A situation called proptosis can also occur here, which causes the eyeball to bulge forward.

Diagnosing The Condition

Once you take your child to a Pediatric Ophthalmologist Dubai, a complete medical history and physical examination will be conducted. The following tests may be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

  • Blood test
  • CT or CAT scan
  • X-rays
  • Culture from the eye drainage

Complications

The nerves in our eyes are connected to the brain. It is essential to take your child to the eye specialist as soon as possible with the risk of progression. Orbital cellulitis can lead to brain and cause vision loss or very rarely even death. Meningitis and permanent neurological defects are two complications that can be found in these infections.

Viable Treatments

Periorbital Cellulitis – The treatments are often involved with oral antibiotics. After treatments, you need to take your child to the eye doctor as required to have a close follow-up. This will help to have constant monitoring until the eyes are completely healed.

Orbital Cellulitis – This is a more complex situation than periorbital cellulitis. Prompt treatments are required, and hence your child may need to get admitted to the hospital for comparative evaluation. Surgery drainages may also require some kids to remove the abscesses of the eye.

If your child has these symptoms, make sure to take them immediately to the eye specialist for earlier treatments. This can help prevent complications and make the eyes heal faster. Your doctor will distinguish the type of cellulitis your child has and recommended the necessary steps.

Visit Quironsalud for the finest eye specialist in Dubai. Our pediatric ophthalmologists are specialized in dealing with children’s eyes with several years of experience above the general ophthalmology training. Contact us now to book an appointment and get personalized treatment for your child.

CategoriesOphthalmology,  Pediatric

Ocular Motility Assessments Why Is It Important To Get Your Child Examined From An Early Age

Ocular Motility Assessments Why Is It Important To Get Your Child Examined From An Early Age

Our eyes consist of six muscles that involve moving them into up/down or left/right directions. The weakness of these muscles can cause problems in focusing, and eye movements and can result in lazy eye or strabismus conditions. These eye issues can usually be seen in early childhood and must be treated earliest to reverse the problem. Ophthalmologists state that after the first comprehensive eye examinations at six months of age, a child needs to be taken to the eye hospital by the age of 3. During this visit to a pediatric ophthalmologist Dubai, an ophthalmic exam will occur, including an ocular motility assessment, which is a simple yet profoundly significant test. This article discusses ocular motility assessments and the importance of taking children to the eye clinic at an early age.

Ocular Motility Disorders

Ocular motility disorders are eye problems that occur due to misalignments or difficulties in controlling eye movements. It is crucial to have a good vision from both eyes for the brain to interpret a clear 3D picture. When this does not occur in the usual manner, double vision can take place. Given below are three types of motility disorders that can be seen among children.

Strabismus – A condition in which the two eyes are not facing in the same direction.

Amblyopia – Lazy eye is a problem where the brain favors one eye and makes the other eye lazy, weakening its function.

Nystagmus – This is commonly called dancing eyes which are characterized by fast and uncontrolled eye movements.

What Is Ocular Motility Assessment?

Extraocular muscles control eye movements and eyelid elevations. The muscles will act accordingly depending on the position of the eye at the given moment. An ocular motility assessment refers to the examination of these muscles to ensure the correct functionality of them. A vision eye center test enables identifying any impairment in eye movements and eye misalignments and noting other contributing factors like pupil or eyelid abnormalities. The condition can be treated, and the unimpaired vision can be entirely regained if treated at early stages. The treatment can vary with the type of disorder. Eyeglasses, prism correction, eye muscle exercises, or vision therapy are used accordingly depending on the severity of each motility disorder.

Significance Of Children’s Eye Exams

It is essential to have yearly eye examinations for children to ensure their eyes are healthy and safe. Distorted vision can negatively affect academic work and even cause mental issues and troubles when trying to concentrate.

Some children can be born with eye conditions like strabismus which can be controlled or reversed entirely with vision therapy treatments if diagnosed early. Those with refractive errors can experience eye strain, headaches, blurred vision, which can pose a greater risk of learning problems.

It is essential to identify the importance of ocular motility assessments and prevent your child from getting from these most common disorders that can cause permanent visual disability if not treated at the correct age. Now you can visit us at Quironsalud, one of the best eye hospitals in UAE, and meet our pediatric ophthalmologists who have years of hands-on experience dealing with children’s eye problems.