Cleveland, OH Pediatric Ophthalmology Specialist

Treating Children’s Vision Conditions

Children can develop the same vision issues and eye diseases that are common in adults, but young patients require specialized care. Certain eye conditions are more common in babies and children. Your pediatrician or family doctor can perform routine vision screenings to check your little one for signs of any eye problems. If your child needs additional screening or treatment, you will be referred to a qualified pediatric ophthalmologist at one of Corrective Eye Center’s offices in the Cleveland area.

Common Pediatric Eye Diseases and Conditions

Common children’s eye disorders that Corrective Eye Center treats in Cleveland, OH include: 

•  Amblyopia (Lazy eye)

• Crossed eyes

• Pediatric cataracts

• Blocked tear ducts

• Birth defects

• eye trauma/injury

• and complex eye issues in premature babies. 

When detected at an early age, childhood eye problems can be treated, improved upon, or corrected altogether. Early diagnosis may also help to protect your child’s eye health long-term. Vision is essential to your children’s educational and physiological growth.

Symptoms of Common Childhood Eye Conditions

Observing your child’s eyes and paying attention to how your child behaves is very important for early detection of a childhood eye problems. Unusual behavior can be a warning sign of eye problems in kids. Commonly closing one eye, frequently rubbing their eyes, or tilting their head to see things can start to indicate vision issues. 

School-age children may complain of things looking blurry in the classroom, or not being able to see the board. Behaviors can also be seemingly unrelated to vision but actually be caused by childhood eye problems. Look out for behaviors such as your child avoiding reading, falling behind in school or sitting too close to the television. Watch for warning signs and take your child your pediatrician or an eye doctor at the first sign of a vision issue. 

If routine vision tests indicate there could be a problem, you will be likely be referred to a pediatric ophthalmologist. 

Testing and Diagnosing Pediatric Vision Problems

Testing children’s vision uses a variety of techniques that vary depending on age and development. There are effective ways to test infants and preverbal children, as well as those that can read an eye chart. At Corrective Eye Center, common techniques include light tests (responses to, ability to follow), matching games, letter recognition and pictures. 

Each eye will be checked separately, which is important because a child can function normally even if one eye has decreased vision and the other eye sees well. Other tests may also be performed on an as-needed basis. While testing can involve unfamiliar equipment, the tests generally are not painful or invasive.

Treatment for Childhood Vision Problems

Our pediatric ophthalmologist in Cleveland will diagnose and discuss the right treatment for your child’s eye condition. Fortunately, most eye problems in kids can be corrected if detected early. Treatment for childhood vision problems may include:

• Medication

• Therapy

• Corrective lenses (eyeglasses)

• Surgery