home Adviсe Farsightedness in children - normal or not: causes, symptoms, treatment. Hypermetropia - what is it with vision, what does congenital farsightedness mean in children Eyeball growth retardation

Farsightedness in children - normal or not: causes, symptoms, treatment. Hypermetropia - what is it with vision, what does congenital farsightedness mean in children Eyeball growth retardation

Farsightedness in children is a refractive error characterized by abnormal focusing of rays behind the retina rather than on it, which leads to blurred images of nearby objects. According to statistical data, farsightedness occurs in 85% of cases in children under the age of three, and up to 35% in children under the age of twelve. At this age, refraction is determined by the physiological characteristics of the child’s body.

Most children are born farsighted because at that age their eyeball has not yet developed. Hypermetropia in infancy can range from +3 to +3.5 diopters and is the age norm. As the organs of vision grow and develop, optical power changes: the growth of the eyeball leads to a shift in optical focus to the retina, so hypermetropia decreases. Its correction and treatment are required if it does not go away by the age of ten to twelve. If appropriate measures are not taken, disorders such as amblyopia and strabismus may develop.

Why does hypermetropia occur?

Farsightedness occurs due to a difference in the strength of the refractive apparatus and the size of the eye, which, in turn, can be caused by weakness of the apparatus or an abnormally short anteroposterior axis of the eyeball. Both factors lead to the formation of a focus behind the retina. The following causes of hypermetropia in children are distinguished:

Anatomical congenital features of the structure of the eyes, which cause the lens to be too deep, the axis of the eye not long enough, or a defect in the curvature of the ocular cornea;
A hereditary predisposition that is passed on from parents if mom, dad, or both of them suffer from farsightedness;
Increased intraocular pressure – glaucoma;
Any factors that can negatively affect the fetus and the formation of its visual system during gestation.

Classification of eye hypermetropia in a child

Classifications of this disease are carried out in accordance with various factors, which, along with the types, types and forms of farsightedness, are presented in our table.

Types, degrees, forms	Their features
Types by development mechanism
Refractive	Pathology develops as a result of diseases of the cornea and eye lens.
Axial	The disease develops due to the anatomical features of the eye structure.
Forms in accordance with the severity of clinical manifestations
Hidden	Refractive errors are corrected due to increased accommodation of the ciliary muscles, due to which the focus formation occurs correctly, which ensures the desired visual acuity.
Explicit	Accommodation is reduced, which manifests itself in difficulties with visual acuity at close distances.
Full	There are disturbances of accommodation and refraction.
Degrees of hypermetropia in children according to deviation from the norm
Weak	A decrease in vision to two diopters in this case is considered normal and does not require treatment. If it persists at the age of six or seven years, correction may be required.
Average	A decrease in vision to five diopters in children over the age of eight is a deviation from the norm and requires correction.
Heavy	A decrease in vision of more than five diopters requires systematic correction, since it is manifested by a lack of clarity: both near and far.

Symptoms of farsightedness in children

Clinical manifestations of the disease in children directly depend on the degree of the disease. It is important that parents are attentive and pay attention to any oddities in the baby’s behavior.

Diagnosis of hypermetropia in children

Before starting treatment of farsightedness in children, specialists conduct comprehensive diagnostic studies that allow them to accurately determine the disease, its form, degree, and characteristics. The Sfera clinic has all the necessary equipment to conduct a comprehensive examination of a small patient. We do:

Visometry, which involves the use of a standard table to determine visual acuity;
Skiascopy, through which you can evaluate the refractive characteristics of the eye;
Scanning the eye using ultrasound;
Refractometry, which allows you to determine the condition of the eye lens and cornea.

How is farsightedness treated in children?

In the vast majority of cases, hypermetropia in children goes away by the age of 10. If the child does not show any improvement before the age of six, treatment is necessary.

Treatment of hypermetropia in children aged one to three years is carried out using hardware techniques, which include the following:

Vacuum massage;
Laser and magnetic therapy;
Ultrasound treatment;
Electrical stimulation.

All procedures are comfortable and require regular treatment, from three to five times a year. Vision correction with glasses is not prescribed at this time, as it can cause harm.

They resort to it at the age of 7 to 10 years, continuing to use hardware techniques and taking vitamin complexes.

The most effective treatment for hypermetropia is laser correction. However, its implementation is possible only at the age of 18 years, when the formation of the visual apparatus is completed.

Preventive measures for farsightedness

It is important for parents to understand that farsightedness is a serious pathology that requires professional correction and treatment. If a child is born with a severe degree of this disease, it is necessary to ensure that he is monitored by an experienced specialist.

Preventive measures for hypermetropia consist of following simple rules:

Regular scheduled examinations with a doctor;
Active lifestyle, daily walks in the fresh air;
Proper nutrition providing the body with all the necessary vitamins and microelements;
Control over the time the child spends at the computer, near the TV or playing games on mobile gadgets;
Proper organization of the workplace;
Ensuring high-quality lighting while doing homework;
Performing gymnastics for the eyes.

Where can hypermetropia be diagnosed and treated?

If you want to be sure that your baby will be in good hands and will receive all the necessary treatment, contact the Sfera clinic. We employ leading domestic specialists, who have everything necessary for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of farsightedness.

We pay special attention to diagnostics: for this we conduct comprehensive studies that allow us to accurately determine the pathology, its form, degree and characteristics. A treatment plan is drawn up on an individual basis, in accordance with the diagnostic results and the testimony of the little patient.

By contacting us in a timely manner, you can avoid the development of complications in your child and, together with our specialists, you will help him go through the complex process of physical development in the most gentle manner possible.

Over time, the contours of the human face and its details - nose, ears, lips - become different. It is interesting to know whether the size of a person's eyes changes with age. Comparing the new look with old photographs of children and youth, it is clear that the changes are clearly pronounced. The nose becomes larger, the chin area and cheeks droop, the look due to overhanging eyebrows becomes gloomy, and the eyes become smaller. You need to figure out why this happens.

Normal human eye sizes

The anteroposterior axis (APA) of the organ of vision is an imaginary line that runs at an angle of 45 degrees parallel to the medial plane of the eyeball to the lateral wall. They are connected by the two poles of the visual organ. This distance is otherwise called the length or size of the eye.

Often, after birth, babies experience hypermetropic refraction - farsightedness, which on average is +3.6 diopters. Eye size standards are presented in the table:

Do they change with age and how?

Increase

The visual system in children is formed as they develop and the increase in size ends when human growth is complete.

During the first 3 years of life, babies' visual organs grow. During this time, the formation of the cortical visual center occurs. By 2 months, the oculomotor nerves, which provide coordination to both eyes, finish developing. The visual acuity of a small child is very low. After birth, it is usually no more than 0.004-0.02 units. By the age of 6, this figure is 0.9 in a child.

By the 3rd year of life, the length of the eye area of the visual organs increases to 23 mm, which is approximately 95% of the size of the adult eye. Until the age of 15, the eyeball continues to grow. The size should grow to 24 millimeters. In most children, in the first 10 years of life, refraction increases and develops, which in this period approaches normal vision indicators. The size of the visual organs in healthy normal people may vary slightly. The maximum length of the PZO can reach 27 mm. The size and shape of the eye are mainly determined by heredity. The increase in the parameters of the visual organs ends when a person’s growth ends.

When the size of the PZ increases, and is not genetically determined, this leads to the development of myopia. This situation occurs when the visual organs are forced to adapt to uncomfortable conditions associated with increased eye strain. In an adult, this is most often caused by professional activities, in which the eyes must constantly focus on small objects, in children - during intensive schooling.

Decrease

As a result of aging, the skin loses density and, as a result, the shape and color of the organs of vision changes.

Characteristic signs of youth are expressed in a clear contour of the eyelids and a clear, wide-open gaze. However, over time, the human body begins to age, and the aging process is also reflected on the face:

the nose becomes larger;
the chin area and cheeks droop;
peripheral vision decreases;
the eyelids hang over the eyes, visually making them smaller.

The condition of the skin changes, the expressiveness of the look - everything irreversibly becomes duller. The aging process negatively affects the entire body and the visual organs - the color, shape and shape of the eyes.

In modern times, various visual deviations are very common in children. And in many cases, a disease such as hyperopia manifests itself, which requires immediate correction. This disease is especially noticeable at the age of 5-7 years, when the child begins to study disciplines and reading. This is understandable, but read this article on how to cure farsightedness in children.

What it is?

Hyperopia is a refractive error of the eye, in which the image located at long distances is focused not in the center of the retina, but behind it.

Due to refractive error, the refractive power of the eye is impaired and poor visibility of nearby objects occurs.

Farsightedness in children is divided into three types:

weak (up to 3 diopters);
medium (up to 5 diopters);
high (more than 5 diopters).

After birth, children always exhibit an average degree of farsightedness (about 3 diopters). By the age of 3, the visual system of children becomes more developed and the degree of farsightedness decreases to 1-1.5 diopters.

However, some children are born with a high degree of farsightedness, which does not decrease as the child grows and develops.

As a rule, the first examination by an ophthalmologist in children is carried out 6 months after birth, the second examination – after 12. The norm at one year of age is farsightedness of no more than 2.5 diopters.

There are the following age norms for the manifestation of hypermetropia:

1 year – + 2.5 D;
2 years – + 2.0 D;
3 years – + 1-1.5 D.

Typically, deviations above or below these norms in children are considered a bad sign. If the deviation is above the age norm, then it is quite possible for it to occur; if the deviation is below the norm, myopia is likely to develop.

Parents need to especially pay attention to the presence of visual abnormalities in a child at 6-7 years of age, when the child enters school.

This is the maximum age when manifestations of farsightedness in children are not the norm, but a pathology that requires mandatory correction. If farsightedness is not treated at this age, there is a high risk of complications. In addition, a child’s education at school will place a heavy load on the child’s visual system, which is fraught with rapid progression of vision pathology.

Causes

In the vast majority of cases, the cause of hypermetropia is a decrease in the size of the eyeball in the anteroposterior axis.

In this case, the eye takes on a flattened shape, and as a result, light rays passing through the optical system of the eye are focused behind the retina, which ultimately leads to unclear, blurred vision of objects.

In children, farsightedness manifests itself early in life. The main cause of farsightedness in the vast majority of cases is an anomaly in the anatomy of the eye.

Typically, children have a very small eyeball in the first years of life. However, gradual elimination of this visual defect occurs due to the growth of the eyeball as the child develops. Some newborns exhibit congenital farsightedness. The occurrence of this disease occurs due to the congenital weak refractive power of the lens or cornea. Congenital farsightedness in children is usually of a high degree (more than 3 diopters).

In this case, there is a risk of developing concomitant eye diseases - strabismus and amblyopia.

Symptoms

Symptoms of hyperopia may vary depending on the degree of hyperopia:

With weak farsightedness, a child usually shows good results both at long and near distances, but at the same time he may complain of fatigue, dizziness and headache.
If a child has an average degree of hypermetropia, he can distinguish objects well at long distances, but visual acuity at close distances is quite reduced.
With high degrees of farsightedness, vision is quite difficult both at close and long distances. This is caused by the eye's inability to focus the image on the retina.

Diagnostics

Hypermetropia can usually be detected only in an ophthalmology office with the help of a special vision examination. This eye disease cannot be detected by a routine vision test. Children need to be diagnosed with hypermetropia regularly, at least once a year.

In some cases, in children, mild farsightedness can be compensated by the accommodative apparatus of the eye, so a false statement may be created that the child has good vision that does not require correction. Ophthalmologists call this latent farsightedness. As a result, a hidden vision problem can subsequently lead to a gradual decrease in vision, as well as a general deterioration in the child’s condition in the form of rapid eye fatigue and frequent headaches. As a rule, untimely detected farsightedness can only be corrected later. Therefore, examination of the visual system should always be thorough and regular to avoid such problems.

Detection of hypermetropia in children is carried out by the method of drug dilation of the pupil, with the help of which the lens of the eye relaxes and the real refraction of the eye becomes obvious.

Treatment

In modern times, ophthalmology has in its arsenal about 20 effective methods for treating hypermetropia.

The most common methods for correcting hypermetropia are spectacle and contact lenses. However, these vision correction methods are temporary, as they are not able to permanently rid a child of farsightedness.

Before the age of 3, children do not undergo farsightedness correction. Before this age, wearing contact lenses or glasses is contraindicated for children, as they can pose a significant danger to them. Microsurgical operations on the eyes, as a rule, are not performed until the end of the period of active growth of the organ of vision.

At older ages, spectacle correction of farsightedness is permitted. The selection of glasses and control of the treatment is carried out by an ophthalmologist. To treat myopia, as a rule, spherical or spherocylindrical converging (“plus”) lenses are selected, with the help of which the focus shifts to the surface of the retina.
Wearing contact lenses is usually only allowed for high school teenagers, since this category of children treats such vision correction responsibly. It will be quite difficult for young children to get used to contact lenses; in addition, lenses require strict adherence to wearing rules, hygiene, and careless use of lenses can lead to infectious diseases.

Spectacle or contact vision correction in children can be combined with hardware or physiotherapeutic treatment. It is used to stimulate visual function, relieve spasm and train the eye muscles.

You can read about conjunctivitis in infants in this article.

There are the following physiotherapeutic procedures for the treatment of farsightedness:

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation. It is carried out to improve blood supply to the ciliary muscle and retina.
Electrical stimulation using low-intensity infrared laser. The procedure is performed to stimulate fluid circulation in the eye and restore blood circulation. Also produces an anti-inflammatory effect.
Color pulse stimulation.
Vacuum massage.
Ultrasound therapy.
Electrocoagulation.

To avoid progression of the disease, additional drug treatment is carried out. To eliminate complications and symptoms of farsightedness and improve metabolic processes in the tissues of the eye, ophthalmologists prescribe special medications.

When treating hypermetropia in children, laser correction is also possible. As a rule, it is performed on children over 18 years of age who have a stable form of hypermetropia. This is a highly accurate, painless method for correcting hypermetropia and other types of refractive error. Laser correction allows you to completely restore vision with hypermetropia up to + 6 diopters. However, there are certain contraindications for this procedure. It is also important to be aware that laser eye surgery can cause significant complications.
With a high degree of hypermetropia (more than + 6 diopters), microsurgical refractive surgery is performed. During the operation, the clear lens is removed and an artificial intraocular lens is implanted in its place. With the help of an artificial lens, you can clearly see objects both at close and far distances.

The child’s diet is of great importance in the treatment of hypermetropia. The child should eat foods rich in vitamins, microelements and antioxidants.

The following have a beneficial effect on the eyes:

blueberry;
cherries;
carrot;
cowberry.

To strengthen the blood vessels of the eyes, children suffering from farsightedness are recommended to consume foods rich in polyunsaturated acids:

vegetable oils (especially corn and olive);
sea fish;
seafood;
nuts.

Complications

If you ignore treatment for high degree of farsightedness in children, there is a high risk of complications. If a child’s refractive error is not detected and corrected in a timely manner, complications such as convergent strabismus and amblyopia may develop.

Convergent strabismus occurs due to overstrain of the extraocular muscles. Overexertion usually occurs due to the fact that the baby is constantly trying to bring his eyes to his nose in order to see more clearly. Due to prolonged overstrain of the eye muscles, it can also develop. This disease, as it develops, leads to a loss of the ability to respond to changes in focal length, as a result of which visual acuity rapidly decreases.
As strabismus progresses, a complication associated with strabismus occurs – amblyopia. Amblyopia in most cases develops in children with advanced farsightedness. This visual deviation manifests itself in decreased visual acuity in one of the eyes. Very often, amblyopia develops as a concomitant disease with strabismus.

Progressive farsightedness can cause significant complications. If this disease is not treated, the outflow of intraocular fluid in the eye may be impaired and glaucoma may eventually develop. This complication manifests itself in a constant or periodic increase in intraocular pressure above the permissible level. Glaucoma usually leads to blindness.

Prevention

Hypermetropia in children is quite difficult to treat. Therefore, this disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Preventive measures are especially necessary for children with a hereditary predisposition to farsightedness.

To avoid the development of farsightedness, you must adhere to the following rules:

Visual stress should always be alternated with active recreation.
The workplace must be well lit.
Playing sports and spending long periods of time outdoors are advisable.
The child should have a balanced nutritional diet, rich in vitamins and microelements.
Regular eye exercises are recommended.
Examinations by an ophthalmologist should be regular (at least once a year), even if farsightedness does not manifest itself.

Video

conclusions

Hypermetropia () is a fairly serious but treatable disease in children. To avoid the negative consequences of this disease, parents need to regularly examine their children with an ophthalmologist. Moreover, it is best at a young age.

So, let's discuss the most necessary points that parents should know regarding the formation, development and development of the child's organ of vision.

The average size of the eyeball in the population is 24.22 mm. No matter how strange it may sound, the vast majority of healthy people, regardless of gender and race, have this length of the eyeball; the shape and size of the palpebral fissure is subjective and individual.

A newborn is born with an eyeball size of about 20 mm. According to the laws of physics and optics of the eye, if the eyeball is larger than the required size, then the person is nearsighted - myopic, if less - farsighted - hypermetropic. From here we conclude that all children are normally hypermetropic until a certain age - 6-7 years old, by which time the eyeball has grown, and therefore this moment is almost fundamental when a child enters school - that is, at least 6 years old. A small note - there is no point in taking a child under 4-5 years old to the zoo, he simply will not be able to see the animals in the enclosures

The newborn’s eye is not adapted to daylight, the retina immediately after birth is not able to see 100%, and in the first months of life the baby can distinguish objects at a distance of about 30-40 cm, which is enough to properly look at the mother while in her arms or during feeding.

By the end of the first year of life, the baby has about 10% of the vision of an adult healthy person; this is only the first line of the ophthalmology office table. Every year the percentage of vision increases and by school age it normally develops to its maximum. If a child's eye grows faster, it becomes nearsighted; if it grows slower, it becomes farsighted. Since the development of vision function occurs until approximately 7 years of age, regular visits to an ophthalmologist are mandatory, because it is at this age that you can help the child as much as possible and try to correct existing changes. There is practically no prospect of developing visual functions in children over 10 years of age.

Let's talk about timing and frequency of visits to the ophthalmologist’s office.
I will not list the entire range of possible intrauterine changes that a child may already be born with. I’ll tell you about the main ones - congenital glaucoma, congenital cataracts, the consequences of intrauterine inflammation of the internal membranes - uveitis. These conditions are urgent and require emergency care. Therefore, at the moment, pediatric ophthalmologists have opened the question of a mandatory ophthalmological examination already in the maternity hospital. So far, this benefit is not available to us, and the first visit to an ophthalmologist is legally mandated at the age of 1 month, then at 6, 1 year, 1.5, then once a year. This is the frequency of clinical examinations of healthy children; existing problems are solved individually.

How he looks baby's doctor?
First of all, the condition of the lacrimal ducts is assessed; I have already devoted an article to this issue. Then possible strabismus is identified, the degree of refraction is assessed using skiascopy and, if necessary, the fundus is examined. In cases where a more detailed examination is necessary, the child is given medicated sleep. More or less objective answers according to visual acuity tables can be achieved in a 3-year-old child, and younger children can be seated at an autorefractometer, if there is one in the office.

And now about the most important thing - what parents should pay attention to.
1. Graefe's symptom - lag of the upper eyelid from the edge of the iris when looking down. Another name is the setting sun symptom. It is normal until 2 months of age; after that, a visit to a neurologist is required.
2. Nystagmus - small-scale synchronous movements of the eyeballs. It is considered physiological again at the age of up to 2 months, it is also called installation, as the child learns to fix his gaze. In other cases - again, your doctor is a neurologist.
3. Deviation of the eyeballs - strabismus. Up to 2-3 months is allowed, and after that you come to us. In most cases, the worse seeing eye is rejected, since the brain, to put it simply, does not need it, and the brain turns it off, the eye, as unnecessary, behaves as it pleases. There are a lot of reasons - the most common are, again, cataracts, glaucoma, high farsightedness, opacities in the vitreous body of various origins.
4. Different eye sizes. There are two sides to the issue here - microphthalmos, a smaller, lagging size, and buphthalmos - bull's eye. Children with congenital myopia and bilateral glaucoma are characterized by large, beautiful eyes. Dear parents, let’s not rejoice, but run to the doctor.
5. Different colors of the irises and the shape of the pupil are the consequences of previous uveitis. By the way, the final pigmentation of the iris of light-eyed children ends by the age of 2, while brown-eyed children already appear from the first months of life. The most alarming color is green.
6. The saddest moment is the lack of reaction of the pupil to light or the flip side is severe photophobia.

Premature babies deserve special attention. Retinopathy of prematurity- pathological processes in the retina due to its immaturity at the time of premature birth. The topic is extremely complex and individual. The risk group is gestational age less than 35 weeks and weight less than 1500g. Such babies should be examined 4 to 6 weeks after birth.

The easiest way assess whether there are any reasons for concern using a camera. We photograph children both with and without red-eye reduction. The presence of eye deviation is determined by the symmetry of the light glare relative to the pupil. The transparency of optical media is assessed by the red eye effect - a normal pink reflex of a healthy retina. If there is no red-pink glow, this is an alarming sign of clouding in the optical media - lens, vitreous body, retina (especially alarming in relation to an extremely malignant tumor of the retina - retinoblastoma).

The main advice to mothers of schoolchildren is the key to success - compliance with the visual load regime and mandatory spectacle correction if necessary

Sincerely, your ophthalmologist

Farsightedness or hypermetropia is a type of refractive error. This pathology is characterized by the fact that light rays passing through the transparent media of the eye are focused not on the retina, as should happen in a healthy eye, but in a plane conventionally located behind it. The consequence of such a disorder may be a significant deterioration in the ability to clearly distinguish objects that are close to the eyes.

Farsightedness can affect both adults and children of all ages. Childhood hypermetropia has its own characteristics of clinical course and application of therapeutic techniques.

Clinical picture of farsightedness in a child

The ophthalmological term “hypermetropia” comes from the Greek words: hyper - “over”, metron - “measure” and ops - “eye”. Based on this, we can say that such an anomaly represents a certain discrepancy in the size of the organic structures of the eye with each other, which, naturally, entails the formation of a number of persistent functional disorders.

They can be of varying degrees of severity, and also be physiological in nature.

Weak degree

A weak degree of farsightedness in childhood may not have pronounced symptoms that would significantly affect the development of the child, since due to the strain of accommodation, a sufficient level of visual acuity is maintained both near and far.

With moderate hypermetropia, the child practically without much effort distinguishes objects located at a sufficiently large distance from him, but at the same time he may have difficulty looking at close objects. Rapid eye fatigue, headaches may occur (a characteristic sign of hypermetropia is pain in the area of the brow ridges), the image may become cloudy and unclear.

Experiencing such discomfort, the child unconsciously tries to move away from the object or move it away from him in order to see it better.

High degree

A high degree of hyperopia clinically has more pronounced manifestations. Here visual acuity decreases both near and far. All of the above signs are a sufficient reason for concern and immediate seeking help from an ophthalmologist.

If in time for a child with a high degree of congenital hypermetropia If appropriate treatment is not prescribed, he will most likely develop strabismus. This occurs due to the fact that the baby is forced to constantly strain the extraocular muscles, bringing the eyes to the nose in order to achieve a clearer vision of nearby objects.

If this pathology is left without proper attention, then there is a high probability of developing amblyopia or “lazy eye”. This functional disorder of the visual system is practically impossible to correct and requires long-term treatment, so ophthalmologists strongly recommend that parents do not delay seeking qualified help.

In addition to functional defects, farsightedness in a child often provokes the development of ophthalmological diseases of an inflammatory nature, such as:

blepharitis(inflammation of the eyelids);
conjunctivitis(inflammation of the conjunctiva - the mucous membrane of the eye);
barley(inflammation of the hair follicle in the thickness of the eyelid);
chalazion(compaction in the thickness of the eyelid associated with a pathological enlargement of the meibomian gland).

This is explained by the fact that children, experiencing visual fatigue and burning in their eyes, often rub them with their hands, often introducing an infection there. Statistics show that almost 90% of children under the age of 4 years have some degree of hypermetropia. This type of refractive error at this age is of a natural physiological nature.

Among children of primary school age and adolescents from 12 to 14 years old, the incidence of farsightedness reaches 30%.

In a healthy eye, light rays should converge into a beam strictly on the surface of the retina. Only if this condition is met, the image that the visual analyzer transforms will not be distorted.

With farsightedness, the trajectory of light rays is such that they can conditionally “converge” only behind the surface of the retina, so the child sees nearby objects without being blurry. If any violation of the refractive properties of the eye is compensated by the strain of accommodation, then we are talking about hidden hypermetropia. If the visual defect cannot be corrected, then this type of hypermetropia is called obvious.

Depending on the age limits for the formation of hypermetropia, there are several of its main forms:

children's physiological;
congenital;
age (presbyopia).

There are also three types of hypermetropia according to the degree of correction required (size of corrective lenses):

weak degree – below +2 D;
average degree – below +5 D;
high degree – above +5 D.

Development mechanism

Refraction is the ability of the optical apparatus of the eye, which consists of several organic elements, to refract light rays. The degree of refraction of rays depends on several factors:

the level of curvature of the lens or its ability to change its spatial position, while changing the direction of light rays passing through the transparent media of the eye;
the shape of the cornea, since it is also a refractive medium and affects the trajectory of light rays;
the distance between the surface of the cornea and the lens;
the anterior-posterior size of the eyeball, which is the distance from the cornea of the eye to the so-called macula (area of best vision), located on the surface of the retina.

Thus, we can conclude that the refractive power of the eye and the anterior-posterior size of the eyeball have a decisive influence on the refraction of the eye. The optical apparatus of the human eye has a rather complex structure; it includes the lens, cornea, chamber humor, and vitreous body.

When directed to the retina, the light beam passes through a number of organic structures of the eye that have the refractive properties that were listed above.

There is the concept of “physiological farsightedness of newborns,” which can reach from +2D to +4D. It is caused by insufficient anteroposterior size of the eyeball. The presence of +4D hypermetropia in an infant indicates physiological maturity.

An increase in the degree of hypermetropia may be a sign of microphthalmos or accompany other congenital defects of the visual apparatus, for example:

cataract(cataract);
colobomas(absence of part of any membrane of the eye);
aniridia(absence of the iris);
lenticonus(violation of the shape of the lens, in which it takes on a spherical or conical shape).

As the child grows up, the size of the eyeball and the proportions of the organic structures of the eye change to normal levels. That's why, most often, hypermetropia transforms into emmetropia by the age of 12-13(normal refraction).

If for some reason the child’s eyeball is delayed in growth, not corresponding to its age norm, then hypermetropia is formed; if, on the contrary, it progresses excessively in its development, then myopia (myopia) is formed. The reasons that provoke retarded growth of the eyeball have not yet been fully studied.

However, most people suffering from hypermetropia manage to compensate for the reduced functional activity of the ciliary muscle of the eye, which is responsible for the position of the lens in space, by about 40 years of age.

Farsightedness can also be a consequence of aphakia, a congenital or acquired pathological condition of the eye, which is characterized by the complete absence of the lens. Typically, this phenomenon occurs as a result of surgery to remove a lens damaged by cataracts. Aphakia can also be associated with various types of mechanical injuries to the eye or dislocation of the lens.

With aphakia, the refractive power of the eye decreases quite significantly, so vision can drop to the most extreme levels (about 0.1 with a norm of 1).

Diagnosis and treatment

Farsightedness in children can be detected during an examination by an ophthalmologist. First, visual acuity is determined using visometry. This type of study for children suffering from farsightedness is carried out using trial plus lenses. The ophthalmologist also prescribes a study of the refraction of the child’s eye; it can be done in two ways: using skiascopy or refractometry.

Skiascopy is an objective method for determining the refraction of the eye. This type of diagnosis is carried out using a special device - a skiascope, which is a mirror with a handle, with a flat and convex surface on both sides. Accurate diagnostic data can only be obtained in the presence of cycloplegia(drug-induced paralysis of accommodation, achieved by implanting drugs into the eye that block the activity of the parasympathetic nerves). Skiascopy is suitable for studying refraction in young children, for whom refractometry is quite problematic.

Treatment of hypermetropia can be either conservative (spectacle or contact correction, hardware treatment, visual gymnastics, drug therapy, including vitamin therapy and a course of medicinal eye drops), or surgical.

If the child has no serious complaints, the nature of vision is not impaired, and its visual acuity reaches 0.9-1, then in this case correction is not indicated, and an ophthalmologist may recommend doing eye exercises with your baby from time to time at home in order to prevent the development of refractive errors. In addition to spectacle and contact correction, hardware treatment and physiotherapy have a good therapeutic effect.

During the course of hardware treatment, the child may be prescribed vitamin therapy, which has a general strengthening effect on the entire visual apparatus, as well as other medications that have a positive effect on the development of the refractive abilities of the visual apparatus.

Komarovsky, a well-known pediatrician in Russia and abroad, has repeatedly touched upon the topic of childhood farsightedness in his discussions.

The key to successful treatment of childhood farsightedness is timely seeking qualified help from a specialist.

If you complete all the appointments and follow the rules for correcting this refractive error, Vision can be restored by adolescence to healthy levels.

Find out what doctors think about the treatment of farsightedness in children from the following video.

Sports for farsightedness

Children, those suffering from mild hypermetropia are recommended playing sports, which are characterized by periodic changes in the focus of the gaze on distant and near objects, for example, football, basketball, tennis and the like. Thanks to regular exercise in these sports, it is possible not only to improve the accommodative abilities of the eye, but also to stimulate intense blood circulation throughout the visual system and oculomotor system, as well as prevent the further formation of pathological changes in the eyeball.

To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect from sports, it is necessary that one workout lasts at least 30 minutes.

For parents whose children have been diagnosed moderate hypermetropia, it is necessary to keep in mind that physical education classes for a child must have some restrictions, especially for athletics exercises. It is better if the basic school physical education course is supplemented with special exercises that strengthen the muscular system of the eye. One way or another, this issue should be discussed in detail with an ophthalmologist, and based on his recommendations, the child’s physical education program should be adjusted.

For children with high degrees of hypermetropia There are a number of restrictions regarding the ability to engage in certain sports. For example, they are highly discouraged from playing football, engaging in any martial arts or weightlifting, or skiing. This is due to the fact that With regular exercise of this kind, the risk of complete loss of vision is very high, therefore, children suffering from this disease should find other hobbies for themselves.

In extremely severe forms of farsightedness, the ophthalmologist may impose a ban on any sports activities.

Children with farsightedness, Regular walks in the fresh air are beneficial. Along the way, you can ask the child to look at various objects located at different distances from him. These simple steps, if performed regularly, will help strengthen the eye muscles and improve visual acuity.

Eye exercises for hypermetropia

Eye exercises show an excellent therapeutic effect for all types of refractive errors in children.

It is especially useful to regularly perform visual gymnastics exercises for children whose eyes are regularly exposed to excessive stress (long-term work at the computer, reading, incorrect position at a desk at school, etc.).

Correct and systematic implementation of such exercises helps to improve blood circulation in the cervical spine and in the oculomotor muscular system, as well as train the accommodative capabilities of the eye.

These exercises will help relieve visual fatigue and prevent further development of visual abnormality, thereby helping to at least partially cure the disease.

The exercise is performed with eyes closed. The child should try to relax the eyelids as much as possible. Place your palms on your baby's eyes or, if he is old enough, ask him to cover his eyes with his hands, but do not press them too hard against his eyes. He should spend 2-3 minutes in this position. This provides rest and relaxation for the eyes. Next, ask the child to move his eyes in different directions without raising his eyelids.
The child should try to imagine that there is a pencil attached to his nose, with which he needs to write his name or draw something in the air.
Invite your baby to stand up, stretch out his arms in front of him, spread his fingers as wide as possible and try to look at the objects that are in these gaps. After a few minutes, let him try to move his gaze to his fingers and examine them. The exercise should be repeated at least 7 times.