What to do if Your Child Has Crossed Eyes

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The medical term for crossed eyes is strabismus. It’s defined as the two eyes not aligning properly, and pointing in different directions. Before learning more about what to do if your child has crossed eyes, it’s important to note that it’s very common for babies to be born with temporary misalignment, so there’s no need to panic if you notice this for a few months after they come into the world. It’s when the condition persists that you should consult with an optometrist in New Albany, MS. Doing so may help your child to prevent long-term vision and learning problems.

Types of Strabismus

A few different types of strabismus exist. Esotropia is what it’s called when one or both eyes turn inward. Exotropia is when an eye turns outward. Hypertropia involves an upward deviation, while hypotropia causes the eye to drift downward. As a diligent parent, you may notice how your child’s strabismus is displaying. You can mention this to your child’s eye doctor, but a professional evaluation will be needed in order to definitively make a diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan.

Why Prompt Action Matters

For newborns with alignment issues, it’s worth bringing up the matter with an eye doctor, even though, as mentioned, many early cases resolve themselves. But this way, your child’s eye doctor will be aware of the issue and can monitor your child’s eye development.

Strabismus can lead to an assortment of problems, including the development of amblyopia, also known as “lazy eye,” where the brain favors one eye over the other, causing the weaker eye’s vision to deteriorate. Depth perception and binocular vision may also be impaired. The obvious challenges that present with strabismus can lead to developmental delays, brought on by an inability to keep up with peers in the learning environment.

Treatment For Crossed Eyes

Start by scheduling an eye exam with a pediatric optometrist or ophthalmologist. During the exam, the doctor will determine the type and severity of the misalignment and evaluate overall eye health. Treatment varies depending on the diagnosis and may include special corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses, patching therapy, vision therapy or surgery in certain cases.

If you suspect that your child has strabismus, please book an eye exam in New Albany, MS as soon as possible for a professional diagnosis.

Weeden Eye Clinic

Protecting Kids From Eye Injuries

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As a loving parent, it’s wonderful to watch as your child enjoys all that youthful energy, engaging in sports or innocent backyard running around. Children are naturally curious and energetic and this instinct to explore what they’re physically able to do—run, jump, play—is a beautiful part of childhood. But it also makes children more susceptible to eye injuries. No parent wants their child to sit on the sidelines with an eye injury while their peers enjoy sports and playtime. Here are things you can do as parents to protect your children from eye injuries without discouraging them from being active.

Provide Comfortable Eye Guards

For kids playing organized sports, comfortable eye guards are essential. It’s all too easy to get poked with a hockey stick in the eye, or get smacked by a stray softball right in the eye. Other kids don’t yet have the skills to keep teammates from being injured. Let your kids choose their own eye guards or goggles so they feel comfortable in them. They won’t do any good sitting in a drawer while your child’s on the pitch.

Provide Safe Play Environments

A key ingredient in sports and play safety is lighting. If your kids like to play outside until it’s absolutely impossible to see, provide great lighting that they can turn on at dusk. Do the same with any basketball hoop areas in the driveway. Also, make sure your child has adequate footwear with good traction. A lot of sports injuries for kids happen because someone slipped.

Get Eye Injuries Seen Immediately

If your child does have an eye injury, contact your eye doctor for a pediatric eye exam in New Albany, MS as soon as possible. Don’t assume that the damage is limited to a broken blood vessel or a black eye. There could be internal damage to the eye that might even threaten your child’s future eyesight.

For any problems or questions related to your child’s eye health, you can rely on Weeden Eye Clinic. Our New Albany, MS optometrist is here to make sure that your child’s eye health is as good as possible, even after an accidental eye injury. Contact us today to book your appointment!

Pediatric Eye Exam

When Should My Child’s First Eye Exam Be?

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Eye health is an important part of a child’s development. With optimal eyesight, a child may be better able to read, engage with peers, see reading materials in the classroom and comprehend what they read. Even slight problems with vision can greatly hinder a child’s development. They may feel “lesser” than peers or feel that they are “different” because they aren’t learning at the same rate. A child doesn’t realize that their eyesight is different; they can only “see” that they aren’t achieving what is expected of them. Thanks to pediatric optometrists in New Albany, MS, your child’s eyesight can be managed and optimized with professional care. It all begins with your child’s first eye exam.

Newborn to Six Months

New parents should never assume that their newborn has come into the world with perfect vision. The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends that infants have their first comprehensive eye exam at six months of age. At this stage, an eye doctor will check for basic eye health, focusing ability, and signs of congenital eye conditions such as cataracts or retinoblastoma. The exam ensures that your baby’s eyes are developing correctly and can catch potential issues early.

Six Months to Three Years

Don’t assume that after that first visit, everything is okay. Vision problems sometimes take some time to develop. Between the ages of six months and two years, you should schedule another eye exam if you notice any signs of vision problems or if your child has a family history of eye conditions. Pediatricians often perform basic eye screenings during regular checkups, but you shouldn’t rely on this alone. A comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist provides a more detailed assessment.

Signs Your Child Might Have Vision Problems

You shouldn’t only rely on the above guidelines before bringing your child to see a pediatric eye doctor. If you notice any of the following, book an appointment right away:

  • frequent headaches
  • unwillingness to play with peers
  • unreasonable moodiness
  • chronic rubbing of the eyes
  • squinting
  • tilting the head when watching TV or reading
  • poor grades
  • holding reading materials very close or very far away from the face

To schedule your child’s pediatric eye exam in New Albany, MS, contact Weeden Eye Clinic. We look forward to caring for your child’s eyesight for a lifetime!