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THE WO'D theworld are - - encoun-tered thro a - e eyes
of a child. Yet, "- out goodvision, a child's ahili . to learnabout the world ames dif-ficult.Vision problems affect one
in 20 pre-schoole and one infour school-got: children.Since most visio problemshave their orizi in earlychildhood, it is , . important
that children receive propereye care. Untreated eye prob-lems can worsen and lead toother serious problems as wellas affect their learning abilityand lead to personality andadjustment issue in school. Achild's eye becomes fully'mature' by the age of eight or10. Hence, childhood disor-ders should not be neglectedand left to chance. Proper careand due medical attention atthis age can prevent perma-nent loss of vision.It is recommended that
school-going children have acomplete medical examina-tion by their fourth birthdayand routine eye examinationapproximately every two yearsthereafter. Parents should beaware of signs which mayindicate that their child hasvision pro blems, including
Wandering or 'cross' eyeso A family history of child-hood vision problems
o Disinterest in reading orviewing distant objects
o Squinting or turning thehead in an unusual mannerwhile watching television
o Watching television, upclose
o Poor handwriting; slowwriting speed; difficultywith maths; not being ableto put information in order
objects at close range) canmake children cross eyed.Myopia (nearsightedness or
the inability to see objectsclearly that are far away) iscommon in older children.Common eye problems
Refractive errorsRefractive errors can cause
eye strain or a decrease invision. They can be correctedby wearing glasses or contactlenses. Hyperopia (farsighted-ness or the inability to focus on
AmblyopiaAmblyopia, or 'lazy eye',
occurs when there is visionabnormality during earlychildhood. It can occur due toa number of underlying causessuch as squint, refractive
walk, if you can't walk, roll" - A popular health maxim ~
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is ot'tiii"'dtiDaiiIkto detect in the early stagessince the child's eyes mayseem absolutely normal from alayperson's point of view.Glasses or eye-strengthen-
ing patches are used for treat-ment, which is most effectivein preventing loss of visionwhen initiated at a very earlyage.
Allergic conjunctivitisEye allergies are common in
children. They cause redness,itching and watering of theeyes. Avoidance of exposure todust is the most important anddifficult part of treatment.Steroid eye drops are some-times prescribed in severecases and should be used onlyunder the guidance of a doc-tor.
Strabismus (squint)Strabismus is a malalign-
ment of the eyes which causesthem to point in differentdirections. Strabismus affectsaround four per cent of chil-dren in the USA. Glasses or aneye patch are also used to treatthe condition. However, sur-gery may be required in somecases .•
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