home Audience 5 Appointment with an ophthalmologist: how many times should a child under one year of age have their eyes checked? Children's ophthalmologist - frequency and reasons for a child to visit an ophthalmologist. How often can an ophthalmologist be examined?

Appointment with an ophthalmologist: how many times should a child under one year of age have their eyes checked? Children's ophthalmologist - frequency and reasons for a child to visit an ophthalmologist. How often can an ophthalmologist be examined?

Unfortunately, the statistics of eye diseases in children are not encouraging. More than 60% of children already have vision problems in their first ten years. Eye diseases can negatively affect not only the quality of life and mastery of educational material, but also health in general, because the eyes are an indicator of the condition of the entire body.

Fortunately, pediatric ophthalmologists come to the rescue. Below we will look at when and how often children should be shown to an ophthalmologist, what a good pediatric ophthalmologist should be able to do, and what criteria does he pay attention to? when examining the condition of a small patient.

Pediatric ophthalmologists: how often to visit them?

A pediatric ophthalmologist sets himself the task prevent the development of diseases and preserve the children's vision. A vision test is a basic procedure during an annual preventive medical examination. That is, you need to show your child to an ophthalmologist at least once a year.

It is recommended to make the first visit to the ophthalmologist when the child is one month old. At the age of up to one year, you can get tested at 2-3 months, six months and directly at one year. In the future, the child can be examined at 3, 5 and 7 years. Such precautions will help to diagnose many diseases in a timely manner, and as a result, preserve and correct vision, avoiding potential negative consequences. An eye examination is also necessary. before entering school or kindergarten.

But if you notice something suspicious, you need to immediately contact a specialist, even if unscheduled, since inflammatory processes in children manifest themselves specifically and progress quickly. If treatment is taken in a timely manner, then vision problems with correct and prompt treatment are usually resolved quickly and effectively, without serious interventions.

Children need regular examinations at risk, namely:

Children whose parents have vision diseases;
Children born prematurely;
Children whose relatives have glaucoma.

In what cases should a child be taken to a pediatric ophthalmologist?

In addition to the annual examination, if you notice any of the following circumstances in your child, better make an appointment and check again. Here they are:

What does a good pediatric ophthalmologist look for?

What should a qualified doctor be able to do?

Prescribe the correct treatment based on the principles of evidence-based medicine and modern scientific works.
Select contact lenses or corrective glasses after first determining the child’s visual acuity.
Correctly interpret the symptoms that appear. For example, mucus in the corners of a baby's eyes does not necessarily confirm the presence of conjunctivitis; there is a possibility that this is dacryocystitis of newborns, in which obstruction or narrowness of the lacrimal canal appears.
Promptly detect the disease and take action. In some cases, the child’s complete recovery and complete prevention of negative consequences in the future will depend on this. For example, timely diagnosed and relieved accommodative spasm will not turn into a more serious stage - myopia. Glaucoma stopped at a young age will not impair vision in adulthood. In addition, in childhood, ophthalmological operations are more effective and less traumatic.

How to choose the best pediatric optometrist?

It is impossible to say for sure which ophthalmologist is best for the child, since a lot depends on the specialization. Some doctors are experts in working with newborns (congenital cataracts, retinopathy, and so on), others successfully use hardware vision correction (for strabismus and amblyopia), others are specialists in the field of correction of eyelid pathologies, and so on. That is, you need to choose a doctor based on the existing problems.

conclusions

It is recommended to visit a pediatric ophthalmologist at least once a year, as well as in front of the school and kindergarten. However, in educational institutions a full medical examination is carried out annually, and a visit to an ophthalmologist is mandatory by default. Until the child is one year old, it would be useful to be examined at 2-3 months, and then at six months.

Children who are at risk (those with diseases that can have a negative impact on the eyes, as well as parents and relatives with eye pathologies) should visit an ophthalmologist more often. If there is the slightest sign of eye problems, complaints from a child or suspicion of injury You should immediately go to a pediatric ophthalmologist, as timely treatment will avoid serious consequences in the future.

To maintain eye health and good vision for many years, it is very important to be regularly examined by a specialist. Almost all modern optical shops are equipped with an optometrist's office, so it is very easy to carry out a systematic check.

The frequency of vision testing depends on a number of factors: the patient’s profession, his working conditions and, of course, age. Another important factor is the general condition of the body, since all processes in it are interconnected. Thus, diseases of the cardiovascular system affect blood supply, including to the organs of vision.

Eye examination by an ophthalmologist for children

Each child, on average, until the age of sixteen, undergoes the formation of the body, and the organs of vision are no exception. That is why children belong to a separate category of patients. However, most eye diseases in childhood are much easier to cure than in adults.

Testing a child's visual acuity depends on his current age. Ophthalmologists recommend the following frequency of eye examinations for children:

from birth to three years - once a year;
from four to six years - two to three times a year (this is a very important period in the formation of a child’s vision; the child begins to put a strain on the visual system as he learns to read and watches TV more often or is at the computer);
from seven to sixteen years - once or twice a year (in the presence of high activity and chronic diseases, perhaps three times a year).

How often should an adult have their eyes checked?

Every adult should have their vision checked at least once a year, even with ideal eye and body health. However, there are some peculiarities.

If a person’s work involves regular use of a computer, it is necessary to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist once a year.

For example, students and teachers who spend a lot of time studying textbooks, notes, and research projects need to take even more care of their vision. Constant use of gadgets can lead to chronic spasm of the ciliary muscle, which is responsible for focusing vision. Subsequently, this can lead to deterioration of distance vision.

Drivers, especially long-distance drivers, are also at risk of contracting the disease described above. Because concentrating on the road for a long time, especially in bad weather conditions, the visual system is overstrained.

Experts strongly recommend that people in professions such as builders or welders be examined once every six months, this is due to the fact that they work in difficult conditions (sharp flashes, bright light, dust).

Remember that good vision is something that a happy and healthy person cannot do without. If, nevertheless, you have identified violations, choose only high-quality means for its correction: glasses or. A good ophthalmologist will select the best treatment option for you and write out the necessary prescription. Frequent checks are also necessary in order to identify current vision parameters, since they can change for the better or for the worse.

When should I take my child to see an ophthalmologist for the first time? Why shouldn’t you skip appointments, even if it seems like there are no problems? What abnormalities in the visual system can a doctor see in a baby under one year old? Children's ophthalmologist, ophthalmic surgeon, Doctor of Medical Sciences, head of the network of children's eye clinics Igor Aznauryan told the portal NNmama.ru about this.

Appointment with an ophthalmologist: how often?

In the first year of a child's life, an ophthalmologist should look at the baby three times.

Many parents think that there is no need to come to the ophthalmologist three times, there is no need to torment the child, because if problems are not visible, then they probably don’t exist? In fact, it is simply unsafe to neglect these trips, because the doctor may see congenital diseases or developmental disorders of the visual system. And, therefore, it will be possible to begin treatment immediately and preserve the child’s vision. A timely response in any business is already half the success.

First appointment with an ophthalmologist

The first appointment with an ophthalmologist should take place at the age of 1-2 months.

What does the doctor check?

We give the baby drops that dilate the pupil. This allows you to see the permeability of the media: determine congenital glaucoma or cataracts, retinal tumors, and determine the condition of the fundus.

By two months, the child should fix his gaze on bright luminous objects and hold his gaze for 5-15 seconds.

If the baby's gaze constantly wanders and does not fixate, this means that he does not see the toy. Perhaps he has congenital myopia. And the doctor can determine this.

Also, the mother should be alerted to the presence of pus and swelling around the eyes. This may be a symptom of dacryocystitis - obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct. This pathology occurs in 15% of newborns. If your baby has been diagnosed with this, do not be afraid. The only treatment is probing. A metal probe is inserted into the nasolacrimal canal and its patency is checked.

I’ll say right away that this procedure can be done in two ways. Lively - but there is a high risk of complications. The child twitches, cries, and it is difficult for the doctor to make microscopic movements to get exactly through the canal. The second method is more modern, we now use it - probing is performed in medicated sleep. This is a short-term weak anesthesia that does not affect the brain or the development of the child, but allows you to conduct an examination without stress, and most importantly, without injury or complications. And they are not uncommon if a child screams and breaks out.

From birth you need to pay attention to eye movements. If one eye does not move at all, it may be a sign of paralytic strabismus, where the muscles do not move in any direction.

Second appointment with an ophthalmologist

The ophthalmologist should look at the child for the second time at 6 months.

What does the doctor check?

At this age, we can more deeply examine the fundus and the refractive media of the eye. Assess the ocular adnexa and the state of the oculomotor system. The lacrimal openings are also assessed to see if there is any obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct.

At 6 months, the doctor can detect strabismus, partial atrophy of the optic nerve and nystagmus. A competent specialist will be able to determine congenital myopia, farsightedness, astigmatism and predict the future development of amblyopia (when one, the so-called “lazy” eye is gradually excluded from the visual process).

The earlier these pathologies are identified, the sooner treatment can begin for the child and create favorable conditions for the proper development of the baby’s visual system, as well as avoid serious vision problems in the future.

It is during this period that you can put on your first glasses, if necessary. Many parents are afraid that the child will pull off the glasses and will not be able to wear them. But in practice, this practically never happens. If the ophthalmologist has selected the right glasses, the child will wear them. After all, he will see better, he will be more comfortable.

Don't let the diagnosis of farsightedness scare you! Despite the fact that it is usually diagnosed in middle-aged and elderly people, there is no pathology in a child’s farsightedness! Normally, all babies are farsighted, usually +4. As the baby grows, farsightedness decreases. By the year it should be +2.5+3 diopters.

What parents should pay attention to

At six months, the child should also focus his gaze on the toy. But most importantly, he must see at a fairly large distance. For example, if you smile at a baby from a distance of 3-4 meters, and he smiles back at you, this means he sees you.

If he does not react to you in any way, this is a reason to suspect eye pathologies. Mom may also be embarrassed by the persistent deviation of the pupil towards the nose. Up to 6 months, such deviations are considered normal. But after that, doctors already consider this phenomenon a sign of strabismus and must refer the parents to a strabismologist (a specialist in strabismus).

Usually, we monitor the eyes for a couple of months; if the eye continues to deviate, then surgery is prescribed. Many parents are afraid of the word “operation”, and even more so “eye surgery”. But we, I’m talking about modern ophthalmologists, have come to the conclusion: the earlier you operate on strabismus, the better the formation of your child’s visual system.

Third appointment with an ophthalmologist

The third appointment should take place when the baby turns one year old.

What does the doctor check?

During this period, we can already check the child with an autorefractometer. This is a more accurate device that will show the degree of farsightedness and myopia.

What parents should pay attention to

At one year old, your baby should be able to do the same things as at 6 months. If after the first three appointments the doctor does not reveal any abnormalities, you will undergo preventive examinations with an ophthalmologist once a year, and so on until the age of seven. If the doctor discovers a problem, he will draw up an individual plan for visiting and monitoring.

The initial examination of the child is carried out by a pediatric ophthalmologist a few days after birth, especially for premature and low birth weight children. A preventive examination by an ophthalmologist is carried out at the age of 1, 6 and 12 months; if there are no pathologies, then in the future it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist once a year.

Before attending kindergarten or school, the child undergoes a medical examination, which requires a visit to a pediatric ophthalmologist, who, if necessary, will help with issues of prevention or diagnosis of an incipient disease.

Who needs to visit an ophthalmologist not for the purpose of prevention?

If your vision deteriorates or discomfort occurs, such as dryness and burning in the eyes, you should visit an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. Timely diagnosis and treatment can help prevent future vision loss.

People who wear contact lenses are advised to visit a doctor at least once every 6-12 months. A contact lens is inherently a foreign object that can cause changes that are not noticeable at first. Improper storage and processing of lenses, sleeping with them, exceeding their service life can lead to irreversible consequences, for example, ingrowth of blood vessels into the cornea of the eye; timely diagnosis will help to recognize the deviation and carry out treatment without resorting to surgery.

People who wear glasses should also visit an ophthalmologist once every six months to a year. The doctor will monitor your visual acuity and, if necessary, recommend replacing the lenses in your glasses.

When planning a pregnancy, it is also necessary to visit an ophthalmologist, especially if myopia has already developed or problems with the retina have been observed. In some cases, preventive measures are taken to avoid a decrease in visual acuity.

People who spend a lot of time in front of a computer and laptop, this applies to both teenagers and adults, should visit an ophthalmologist annually, since the flickering of the monitor has an extremely negative effect on vision. In some cases, the doctor selects special glasses for working at the computer, but most often they prescribe moisturizing drops to prevent the eyeball from drying out.

People who have crossed the 50-year mark are required to visit an ophthalmologist, even if there are no vision complaints. People who have had eye surgery should also have regular eye exams.

Unfortunately, many people are extremely irresponsible about the health of their eyes, ignore annual examinations, forgetting that many diseases are asymptomatic, but over time lead to deterioration of vision, in extreme cases even to blindness.

Many people are interested in how often they should have their eyes checked. Experts recommend periodically visiting an ophthalmologist, even if the patient does not experience symptoms of visual impairment and has no complaints. At the initial stage, the disease may not manifest itself, and in the advanced stage it is more difficult to treat. Let's consider how often you need to examine your vision organs.

Most eye diseases and refractive errors are quickly and easily treated in the early stages, so it is recommended to undergo a systematic examination by an ophthalmologist, even in the absence of discomfort, pain or any other obvious symptoms. This will prevent the adverse consequences that accompany progressive diseases, and also, if necessary, select the most gentle and painless method of treatment.

Many people are interested in how often they should have their eyes checked if nothing is bothering them. It all depends on the age and individual characteristics of each patient. For example, people with serious eye diseases need to be examined by a specialist much more often than others - literally every month. Women during pregnancy should visit a doctor in the first and last trimester to eliminate the risk of retinal detachment and ensure the possibility of a natural birth.

How often should children have their eyes checked?

With the help of their visual organs, a child gets acquainted with the world around him, so it is extremely important to pay due attention to their health. The visual system is formed in children during the first 5 years, but, oddly enough, defects can be detected already on the first day of life. Therefore, the first eye examination is carried out in the maternity hospital, immediately after birth. The eyes of babies weighing up to 2 kg and babies who were born earlier than expected are looked at especially carefully. During this period, the health of the child's eyes is determined during an external examination. The specialist examines the palpebral fissures: they should be narrow and have the same shape. The eyes of a healthy child react to light: the eyelids close and the pupil constricts. To exclude congenital cataracts, a specialist examines the fundus of a small patient using an ophthalmoscope.
If no abnormalities were detected at birth, the next time the child’s vision should be checked is at 3 months. It is worth noting that during this period the specialist may detect slight strabismus. This is a common phenomenon in children because their visual system is in the process of developing. Therefore, you should not be alarmed prematurely; in most cases, this pathology disappears on its own over time.
Next, the child’s vision is checked at 6 months and, if everything is in order, the next visit to the ophthalmologist is scheduled at 3 years (before kindergarten). At this age, a specialist can already accurately determine the presence of various refractive errors, for example, farsightedness or myopia. The next examination should be carried out before school - at the age of six.

How often should children have their eyes checked?

Immediately after birth (reaction to light is checked);
At 3 months (squint may be observed, which is normal);
When the baby is six months old.
At 3 years old - before kindergarten, and also at 6 years old - before school.

How often should a teenager have their eyes checked?

Modern teenagers from an early age actively use smartphones, tablets and other gadgets, which has a negative impact on the eyes. Scientific research shows a trend toward worsening vision in preschool children. To maintain the health of a teenager’s eyes, it is necessary to systematically undergo examination by an ophthalmologist and adhere to a number of recommendations.
Experts say schoolchildren should visit an ophthalmologist every year. This will allow early detection of various refractive errors and prevent the development of diseases. During the examination, the doctor will diagnose the patient's eyes using modern equipment, which will allow him to study whether there is a decrease in visual acuity and whether its correction is required.
It is worth noting that only about 3% of diseases of the visual system are hereditary, and the remaining 97% are acquired. Lack of physical activity, excessive fatigue, lack of vitamins, unbalanced diet and sedentary lifestyle often lead to decreased vision clarity in adolescents. To prevent this, you need to follow simple recommendations.

Get examined by an ophthalmologist annually;
Control your visual load;
Make sure that the student’s diet is balanced;
Properly equip his workplace;
Make sure your child plays outdoors more often;
Do not allow your teenager to read while lying down or in transport;
Monitor his sleep patterns;
Make sure he does eye exercises.

How often do adults visit an ophthalmologist?

Adults from 18 to 64 years old need to have their vision checked regularly every two years. During a preventive examination, a specialist will examine the condition of the visual system and, if necessary, provide recommendations regarding the selection of correction means. For patients who are already being treated for eye conditions, periodic check-ups allow them to monitor how current and effective the current correction method is.
As a rule, vision decreases after 40 years due to age-related changes occurring in the lens. It partially loses its elasticity and becomes deformed, which leads to the development of presbyopia. In this case, special multifocal lenses are used to correct vision, allowing you to clearly perceive objects at different distances. This eliminates the need to use several pairs of glasses at once.

Popular lenses for presbyopia correction:

Air Optix Aqua Multifocal from Alcon;
1-Day Acuvue Moist Multifocal from Johnson & Johnson;
Biofinity Multifocal from CooperVision.

It should be noted that after 65 years of age, it is recommended to undergo an annual examination by an ophthalmologist. This is because in adulthood there is an increased risk of developing serious eye diseases. People with glaucoma and cataracts need to be especially careful about their eye health and undergo monthly examinations by a specialist.

At what distance should your vision be tested?

Most private clinics use modern equipment to check the visual system, allowing you to quickly and effectively analyze visual acuity, measure intraocular pressure and assess the condition of the fundus.
If the test is carried out without the use of equipment, as a rule, a special Sivtsev table (with letters) or a Golovin table (with figures for children) is used, which is located at a distance of at least three meters. However, some experts argue that for reliable analysis it is necessary to place it at a distance of about 4-5 meters.
With the development of technology, patients have the opportunity to check visual acuity without leaving home, using special tables and programs on computers. However, it should be remembered that the reliability of such a test is low, it will not replace high-precision equipment and will not give a guaranteed result. Only a qualified specialist can correctly assess the state of the visual system during a comprehensive examination.

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