Children’s Eye Care in Imo State

Common eye conditions in children

• Refractive error: short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism. The most common reason a child struggles at school.
• Amblyopia (lazy eye): one eye does not develop normal vision because the brain favours the other. Highly treatable when caught early.
• Squint (strabismus): the eyes do not point in the same direction. It is not something a child grows out of and it needs assessment.
• Congenital cataract: a cloudy lens present from birth. Needs urgent treatment to allow sight to develop.
• Blocked tear duct: a persistently watery, sticky eye in a baby.
• Conjunctivitis and eye infections: common, and usually straightforward to treat.
• Vitamin A deficiency: a preventable cause of childhood blindness that still occurs in our region.
• Eye injuries: a frequent cause of sight loss in one eye in children.

Signs parents should watch for

• Sitting very close to the television, or holding books close to the face
• Squinting, frowning or tilting the head to look at something
• One eye turning in or out
• Rubbing the eyes a great deal
• Complaining of headaches or tired eyes after school work
• Falling behind at school, or losing interest in reading
• A white or grey reflection in the pupil, including in photographs. This needs urgent examination
• Watery, red or sticky eyes that do not settle
• Clumsiness, or difficulty seeing in dim light

When should a child’s eyes be tested?

Newborns should have their eyes checked as part of routine baby checks. Beyond that, a formal eye examination before starting school is strongly recommended, and again if a teacher or parent raises any concern.

A child does not need to know letters to have their eyes tested. We use pictures, shapes and matching games for younger children, and we can assess the eyes of a baby who cannot cooperate at all.

How we examine children

Examining a child takes patience and a different approach from examining an adult. At St Joseph’s Eye Hospital our team is used to working with children, at the child’s pace, with the parent present throughout.

We check vision using age-appropriate methods, assess how the eyes work together, use drops to measure the true spectacle prescription, and examine the front and back of the eye. Nothing in the examination is painful.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the condition, and most childhood eye problems respond well when they are found in time:

• Spectacles for refractive error, often all that is needed
• Patching or drops to strengthen a lazy eye
• Surgery to straighten a squint
• Early surgery for congenital cataract, followed by careful visual rehabilitation
• Treatment of infections and blocked tear ducts
• Low vision support where sight cannot be fully corrected

Bring your child in

If you have any concern about your child’s eyes, or if a teacher has raised one, arrange an examination. Do not wait to see whether it improves. St Joseph’s Eye Hospital Mgbirichi provides children’s eye care for families across Imo State and the South East.