Children's Vision Month

Optometrists, Dr Bruce Rosner, Dr Elisa Fiorentino, Dr Alissa Boroditsky, Dr Steven Malo, Dr Steven Mintz , Dr Karen Blackie, Dr Blake Chartier We offer comprehensive eyecare Special diagnostic tests are available Exams in English & French OPTICAL BOUTIQUE #6-2090 Corydon Avenue | Winnipeg, Canada, R3P 1V5 204.889.7408 www.foreyesoptical.ca Transcona OPTICAL 212 Regent Avenue, W, Winnipeg | Canada, R2C 1R2 204.224.2254 www.transconaoptical.ca Ask someone what a strabismus is, and the question is most often met with a blank stare. I n a nutshell, a strabismus is a visual condition involving the failure of a child's or adult's eyes to maintain proper alignment and work together as a team. About 12 per cent of children have some form the condition, which is also known as "lazy eye." "A child with strabismus may be genetically predisposed, and the condition may be present from birth," says Dr. Elisa Fiorentino, part of Transcona Optical's/For Eyes' experienced team of doctors of optometry, which also includes Dr. Bruce Rosner, Dr. Steven Mintz, Dr. Alissa Boroditsky, Dr. Steven Malo, Dr. Karen Blackie and Dr. Blake Chartier. "Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes it's not." That's because there are different classes of strabismus, says Dr. Rosner. "They are most commonly grouped as small and large angle strabismus," he says. "With a small angle strabismus, an eye may be turned, but it's so minimal that it's difficult to detect. That isn't the case with large angle strabismus. In this instance the misalignment in the child's eyes is more obvious and parents may notice an eye turning occasionally or all of the time. In both situations the child requires a comprehensive eye examination to determine the course of treatment as soon as possible." The size of the deviation may influence symptoms as well. For example, small angle strabismus may cause symptoms such as headaches, eye strain, an inability to read comfortably, fatigue when reading or jittery vision. "Large angle strabismus may cause symptoms such as clumsiness, rubbing the eyes, double vision, bumping into/having difficulty reaching for objects," says Dr. Boroditsky. "That's because there's virtually no attempt by the brain to straighten the eyes, due to the amount of deviation. The brain just ignores the weaker eye." In either case, should the condition go untreated, it can lead to significant amblyopia (impaired vision) in the misaligned eye. That can be disastrous, says Dr. Rosner. "The real concern with school-aged kids is that these eye conditions can greatly affect their ability to learn. This can cause developmental delays, affect their ability to play sports and, as adults, affect their career choices." Dr. Rosner adds that an untreated strabismus can cause two major problems that will trouble children for the rest of their lives. "While they will still be able to drive a car, they will suffer from reduced depth perception and reduced vision in one eye," he explains. "As a result, this may affect certain career choices. For example, pilots and police officers require excellent vision in both eyes." There's one sure-fire way to make sure strabismus is detected before it becomes a major issue, says Dr. Fiorentino. "Our recommendation to parents is to bring in their child for their first eye exam around the age of six months. We can ensure their eyes are straight early on, and then complete a comprehensive examination around the age of three. If there's an issue — a strabismus, or otherwise — the exam will uncover it." Should a strabismus be diagnosed at that point — or even when a child is a bit older — it may be fully treatable. "Usually, young children can be corrected with glasses and/or surgery," says Dr. Rosner. "Sometimes a patching regimen may be prescribed with the ultimate goal being to correct the weaker eye's vision to 20/20." The important thing is getting an early diagnosis, says Dr. Fiorentino. "If a strabismus is caught early, correcting a child's vision will ensure that the pathways from the eye to the brain develop properly. If the problem isn't corrected, those connections —which aren't fully completed until around the age of nine or 10 — could be badly disrupted. We wouldn't be able to correct the problem, and they'd have to cope with it for the rest of their life." What's the key to avoiding the long-term vision problems that an untreated strabismus can cause? "Get an eye exam early for your child — start at the age of six months if possible," says Dr. Boroditsky. "These conditions are silent, and children don't know how to listen to their bodies and communicate problems. Eye exams are covered for kids up to and including age 18, too, so make a habit of finding half an hour every year for an eye exam. It's critical to the eye health of your child." THE EXPERIENCED TRANSCONA OPTICAL/FOR EYES TEAM OF DOCTORS OF OPTOMETRY, FROM LEFT, DR. STEVEN MALO, DR. ELISA FIORENTINO, DR. BRUCE ROSNER, DR. ALISSA BORODITSKY, DR. STEVEN MINTZ AND DR. KAREN BLACKIE. MISSING IS DR. BLAKE CHARTIER. SUBMITTED PHOTO BY TODD LEWYS DETECT STRABISMUS EARLY

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