Children's Vision Month

PAG E 4 VISION MONTH C hildren are actually born far-sighted," said doctor of optometry Cheryl Bayer. "It's something they'll grow out of somewhere between the ages of five and seven. Parents should know that a child's vision development goes through different stages as they grow. With that in mind, parents can be an active participant in helping their child learn to see well." One of the best things parents can do for their child early on is book an eye exam. "Although it seems early, a child should undergo their first eye exam at six months old," she said. "That exam will tell us if their eyes are developing normally, which is to say each of their eyes are equally far- sighted, and that they have proper muscle movement (i.e., no weak muscle causing an eye to turn). Basically, we want to ensure their overall eye health is good, and that there are no underlying problems." It's then recommended parents bring their child back for their next eye exam at age three. That said, parents need to pay attention to how their child's vision is developing. "It's very important that parents be vigilant about how their child's vision is developing," Bayer said. "They should look for things like eye turn, closing one eye while trying to focus or issues with eye-hand co-ordination. At the same time, parents can play games with their kids that involve hand-eye co-ordination, and that involve identifying colours. Even if development seems to be normal, it's essential to bring a child in at age three, added Bayer. "At that point, we'll test their eyes for visual acuity, (that they match each other,) and depth perception," she said. "We actually use 3D glasses for depth perception testing. It's fun for the kids, and it gives us a good look at how well their eyes are working together." From there, eye exams should be booked in regular intervals without fail: before a child starts kindergarten, and then every year during school. "Kids have a lot of visual plasticity up to the ages of five to seven, so it's very important to have regular eye exams," Bayer said. "Those exams give us the opportunity to detect problems early. That's critical, as the earlier you identify a problem, the better the opportunity to correct a child's vision before that problem becomes serious." Bayer said frazzled parents also need to avoid the temptation of putting their young children in front of a laptop, tablet or TV to get some much-needed quiet time. "Parents need to make a concerted effort to limit screen time with young children. The problem with the screens is that they emit a blue light," she explained. "Kids tend to really get involved with these devices. Blue light may increase risk of eye damage later in life and also can make it harder for children to sleep when they go to bed." A better solution may well lie in ingraining more traditional forms of play — doing puzzles, creating crafts with scissors and glue, creating structures with building blocks — and just going outside to play, said Bayer. "Basically, any activity that stimulates kids is good, as it will naturally stimulate their vision," she said. "If they have to be on a laptop or a tablet, get them to look away for 20 seconds at an object 20 feet away every 20 minutes. As long as parents are vigilant, stimulate their kids so they develop their vision — and bring them in for regular eye exams — their eyes should develop in a normal, healthy way." Be vigilant about kids' vision BY TODD LEWYS If you've ever glanced over at a baby and wondered what they're looking at, the answer might surprise you. In truth — at least in their formative days — they're not looking at much, as infants are born without complete vision. The fact is, vision in children is developed through a process of looking at, touching and exploring the world around them. ' DR. CHERYL BAYER / PHOTO BY JASON HALSTEAD C onjunctivitis is the inflammation of the clear covering of the white part of the eye and the inside of the lids. There are a number of reasons for having conjunctivitis. There's bacterial, there's viral and then there's allergic. You can develop conjunctivitis at any time of year but more so in the wintertime because you tend to be inside more often so you're closer together," Ryall said. "Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are fairly contagious, so it's easy to spread from person to person within the family. It's important to keep articles of clothing and bedding clean and to have separate towels and separate washcloths. When everyone is in close confines, it's pretty easy to spread it from one person to another." Bacterial conjunctivitis tends to have a yellow discharge crusting on the eyelid, Ryall explained. Sometimes you even have to use a washcloth just to open your eye in the morning. "If you suspect bacterial conjunctivitis, that is something that should be treated. It's best to take the child to the doctor. Your family doctor or your nurse practitioner can basically treat by symptoms, but an doctor of optometry or an ophthalmologist has the equipment to really have a good look at it and give a more definitive diagnosis," he said. "It needs an antibiotic, usually for a week. Once it's treated, it usually responds pretty quickly. Most of the time, the child can go back to school or (daycare) a day or two after they've started treatment." However, sometimes patients stop taking their medication before the prescribed period ends, which can lead to complications down the road. "The problem is that some people don't follow through with their medications for the entire week to make sure they get rid of it. Then you run the risk of developing resistant bacteria," Ryall said. "If you don't take the medication fully through, bacteria is still there and it can develop resistance to the drug because you're not fully killing it off." As for viral infections, they are caused by the same kind of viruses that lead to colds and the flu, Ryall said. "Most viral infections will clear up by themselves," he said, "but they can take time." Red eyes can also be caused by allergies, which tend to make them itchy and watery. "Seasonal allergies tend to occur in the spring and fall. That's something you would likely need eye drops or an oral antihistamine to treat," Ryall said. "Your optometrist can help you make the right choice and, if necessary, prescribe anti-allergy medication." If you're ever concerned about the health of your child's eyes, regardless of the reason, it's best to schedule an appointment with an expert. "There are some other infections that are more serious because they affect the cornea and you would definitely need some intervention. Most times they're fairly minor, but you still want to make sure it isn't something more serious," Ryall said. "You want to make sure it's caught and treated before it starts to cause something that's more of a problem. In most cases, you can phone up your local doctor of optometry and they'll get you in right away. You don't want to wait for the next available appointment because by that time, it's either gone or much worse." Keep an eye on infections BY JENNIFER MCFEE DR. LORNE RYALL, A DOCTOR OF OPTOMETRY IN BEAUSEJOUR / SUBMITTED Childhood eye infections continue to catch the attention of doctors of optometry, who offer expert advice about common conditions. Dr. Lorne Ryall, a doctor of optometry in Beausejour, said the most common childhood eye infection is conjunctivitis, also known by the generic name of pink eye. '

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