As a parent, it is important to be aware of common eye conditions that can affect your child’s vision. And when you catch something early, starting treatments early can lead to great success. Doctors can even prevent long-term vision problems if they begin early enough. Here are five pediatric eye conditions that every parent should be aware of.
 

·       Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

Amblyopia results from a failure of one eye to develop normal vision. This leads the brain to start favoring the stronger eye, leading the weaker eye to lose its ability to see clearly. Since this condition usually begins in early childhood, catching it early is always a good idea.

Treatment here will involve corrective glasses, eye patches, and in some cases, surgery. When you sign your child up for regular eye checkups, the eye doctor will prevent lazy eye from getting worse.
 

·       Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)

If your eyes are not correctly aligned, then you have a condition called strabismus. People with this condition have one eye turning in, out, up, or down, while at the same time, the other remains focused. This misalignment can cause double vision and issues with depth perception.

Strabismus can occur at birth or develop later in childhood. Treatment often involves eye exercises, glasses, or surgery to realign the eyes.
 

·       Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

Are your eyes constantly red, swollen, and irritated? Chances are, you have conjunctivitis. This is very common in children. In bacterial or viral cases, pink eye is contagious, so it is important to keep your child at home until it clears up.

Symptoms here include red, watery eyes, a gritty feeling, and eye discharge. Treatment depends on the cause. Bacterial pink eye requires antibiotics, while viral pink eye usually resolves on its own. Allergy-related conjunctivitis can be treated with allergy medications.
 

·       Nearsightedness (Myopia)

One of the most common eye conditions is called myopia, or nearsightedness. This is a common refractive error where nearby objects appear clear, but faraway ones appear blurry. Myopia often begins at an early age and usually gets worse with age. Children with myopia may squint or sit too close to the TV or the classroom board.

People often wear glasses and contact lenses to correct this condition. Others go for surgery to fix the issue.
 

·       Color Blindness

If you often have trouble distinguishing between colors, you may be experiencing color blindness. It is often inherited and is more common in boys than in girls. The most common form is red-green color blindness, where children cannot tell the difference between these two colors.

There is no cure for color blindness, but it does not usually interfere with daily life. In some cases, children may need to adapt to using color-coded labels or charts.
 

How to Spot Vision Problems Early

If your child frequently squints, complains of headaches, or has trouble reading or focusing, it could indicate an eye condition.

Your pediatrician may recommend eye exams starting at a young age. If your child has a family history of eye conditions, they may need more frequent checkups.

For more on pediatric eye conditions, visit Ives Family Eye Care. Our office is in Miami, Florida. Call (786) 755-1800 to book an appointment today.

https://www.optometrists.org/childrens-vision/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions/7-common-pediatric-eye-conditions/

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/common-childhood-diseases-conditions