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Better Health. No Hassles.
[Name of Presenter]
Children’s Eyes and Vision
Better Health. No Hassles.
The Amazing Eye
Better Health. No Hassles.
The process of vision
An object in the world is seen by the eye upside down
The brain processes the eye’s image to create the picture of the object
Better Health. No Hassles.
When vision is bad...
The cornea and lens need to focus light onto the retina for clear vision
Often, the focus is not sharp...
Better Health. No Hassles.
Hyperopia (farsightedness)
Better Health. No Hassles.
Hyperopia (farsightedness)
Too little focusing power causes light to be focused “behind” the retina
Convex lenses focus light onto the retina
A significant cause of learning problems, as it often goes undetected by school or pediatrician screenings
Common cause of reading glasses
Better Health. No Hassles.
Myopia (nearsightedness)
Better Health. No Hassles.
Myopia (nearsightedness)
Light is focused “in front of” the retina
Distant objects look blurred
Very common vision condition affecting nearly 30 percent of the U.S. population
Concave lenses focus light onto the retina
Better Health. No Hassles.
Astigmatism
Better Health. No Hassles.
Astigmatism
Causes blurred vision due either to the irregular shape of the cornea or sometimes the curvature of the lens inside the eye
Found in combination with farsightedness and nearsightedness
Results in blur at distance and near
Compound-grind lenses focus light onto the retina
Better Health. No Hassles.
Strabismus
“Eye turn” Crossed eye, esotropia Wandering eye, exotropia
Double vision is uncommon because of brain adaptation called suppression
Treatments include: proper prescription, patch to equalize the individual eyes’ abilities, and surgery by age 2 for greatest chance at a functional cure
Better Health. No Hassles.
Amblyopia
Phrase “lazy eye” is often used to describe amblyopia
Permanent reduction of an eye’s best sharpness, even with glasses, that results from the brain constantly ignoring the image of an eye that is crossed or from an eye that is significantly different in prescription than the other eye
Better Health. No Hassles.
Accommodative disorders
Accommodation = ability to “zoom” focus on near objects
Problems can include insufficient amount of focus, overly active focus, lock of focus, and slowly shifting focus
The muscle that controls focus can be trained to work more efficiently
Bifocals can be used for children
Better Health. No Hassles.
Peripheral retinal abnormalities
Dilated eye examinations are periodically required to evaluate parts of the inner eye that can show abnormality
Examples include retinal degenerations, retinal detachments, and retinal tumors.
Better Health. No Hassles.
Inside the numbers...
26% of US population is less than 18 years of age
31% of those 6 to 16 years old had an eye and vision examination within the past year
14% of those less than 6 years old had an eye and vision examination within the past year
Better Health. No Hassles.
Vision checkups and screenings
Many people benefit from having their eyes tested with an eye chart to see if they see properly -- called a “screening”
Vision screening is never a replacement for a comprehensive eye examination Screenings check for vision blurriness
Exams evaluate vision blurriness,
PLUS eye muscle teaming, focus
ability, and eye health
Better Health. No Hassles.
Why so few eye exams?
Parent reliance on vision screenings provided by pediatrician or school
Cost to uninsured families
Lack of good public information as to the importance of periodic eye care
Better Health. No Hassles.
The Role of Vision in Learning
The eyes must see clearly, without double vision, and with accurate depth of focus control
A child must have the visual ability to learn to read prior to reading to learn
When a child has difficulties learning, think first of his or her ability to see, then of his or her ability to learn
Better Health. No Hassles.
Comprehensive Eye Exams
Optometrists and ophthalmologists are eye doctors who provide eye examinations
Are easy and painless
Can find the problems that relate to poor learning
Here is a “peek”...
Better Health. No Hassles.
Color Vision
Better Health. No Hassles.
Depth Perception
Better Health. No Hassles.
Keratometry
Better Health. No Hassles.
Visual Acuity
Better Health. No Hassles.
Refraction
Better Health. No Hassles.
Eye Health Test
Better Health. No Hassles.
Eye Pressure
Better Health. No Hassles.
Eye Drops - Dilating the Pupil
Better Health. No Hassles.
Eye Health Tests
Better Health. No Hassles.
The “Headlight” Health Exam
Better Health. No Hassles.
Questions?
Better Health. No Hassles.
Thank you!
Presentation courtesy of: Scott A. Jens, O.D. AOA MemberMadison, WI