The physical health of children is more fragile and complex than we think because they are still in the growth phase. During their development, this is a crucial time that requires attention because if any abnormalities occur, they can be treated promptly. Eye health check-ups for children are just as important as other physical health examinations because if a child’s eyes have abnormalities and treatment is delayed, it may prevent them from seeing the world clearly and brightly in the future.
What eye diseases are children at risk of?
Children’s eye diseases can be categorized in various ways. For example, premature babies have a higher risk of retinal degeneration than full-term babies. They are also at risk of cataracts and glaucoma. Preschool and school-age children may experience eye abnormalities such as nearsightedness, astigmatism, farsightedness, strabismus, and amblyopia.
Amblyopia: A dangerous disease that damages children’s eyes
Amblyopia is a critical condition that requires close monitoring in children because if detected late and treated after the age of 8, it may cause abnormal vision and loss of 3D vision. This is because children’s visual development has not fully matured like adults. The causes of amblyopia include:
- Strabismus causes double vision, leading the brain to suppress vision from the affected eye, resulting in amblyopia and blurred vision in the abnormal eye.
- Obstruction preventing light from entering the eye, such as cataracts or glaucoma. In adults, cataract surgery with lens replacement can restore normal vision, but in children, vision development is incomplete, and the brain has not fully learned to see. Therefore, even after cataract surgery, it is difficult to regain normal vision because the eye has become lazy and has not learned to see due to the obstruction.
- Refractive errors such as severe nearsightedness with inappropriate or no glasses.
- One eye is normal, but the other is abnormal, causing the brain to suppress the abnormal eye, resulting in unilateral amblyopia. The normal eye is used for vision, and the amblyopic eye’s vision deteriorates over time. This condition is hard to detect because the child feels they see normally with the functioning eye.
The danger of amblyopia in children lies in the lack of observation and late medical consultation. However, if detected and treated early, children can regain normal vision for life. Therefore, eye health check-ups for children are very important.
Color blindness may not be dangerous but can destroy dream careers
Color blindness is another visual abnormality that should be tested and known from childhood. Although color blindness does not affect daily life, it impacts the choice of university faculties, studies, and career planning. Some professions, such as pharmacists and electrical engineers, prohibit individuals with color blindness due to the risk of work errors. Therefore, children should be tested early to know if they have color blindness to plan their studies and career goals without disappointment when they later find out they cannot pursue certain careers due to color blindness. Color blindness is more common in boys than girls, with about 8 out of 100 boys affected.
Which groups of children should pay special attention to eye health check-ups?
Although all children should receive eye care and check-ups, premature babies have a six times higher risk of eye abnormalities than normal children. Doctors recommend that premature babies receive 100% close eye health monitoring. If there is a family history of cataracts, glaucoma, or refractive errors, extra caution is necessary to ensure timely care if any eye abnormalities are detected.
What are the steps and guidelines for children’s eye health check-ups?
For high-risk children, such as premature babies or those with a family history of eye abnormalities, doctors recommend detailed and close eye examinations from birth. For normal children, eye check-ups should start from ages 3-4 or during kindergarten when children begin to recognize pictures. Doctors use charts with images, squares, circles, hearts, or animals for children to read. Later, in primary school, children can read numbers and letters, so vision is assessed with number and letter charts like adults. Eye exams also include intraocular pressure measurement and retinal health checks.
Guidelines for parents to easily observe their children’s eye health
Currently, there are initiatives to encourage all children to receive eye health screenings more widely and quickly, often through school programs where teachers assess vision by having children read numbers. If a child fails the vision screening, parents should not ignore it and should take the child to a doctor for further examination and treatment planning. Additional signs parents can observe include:
- If a child is nearsighted, they tend to read or watch things up close, such as walking close to the TV, and squint when looking.
- If a child has astigmatism, they may tilt their head. If only one eye is affected, it may be hard to notice because the other eye compensates.
- Regularly observe for strabismus. Even if it occurs only occasionally, it is enough reason to consult a doctor because strabismus can result from various eye abnormalities that require proper diagnosis and treatment.
Children’s eyes are important organs because they represent vision for learning and growing into adults who live happily and with quality. Therefore, parents should take their children for annual eye check-ups starting from school age, especially as children spend more time with electronic media, increasing the risk of eye abnormalities. To effectively care for children’s eyes, regular observation and eye health check-ups are the best approaches that parents should not overlook.
Dr. Natsucha Wangthiranaw
Pediatric Ophthalmologist
Ophthalmology Center, Phyathai 3 Hospital
