Childhood ophthalmology
The Children's Ophthalmology Service detects, diagnoses and resolves ocular diseases that can appear in children from birth to adulthood (18 years of age). The first years of life are crucial to the development of vision, so it is recommended to visit a paediatric ophthalmologist to detect early eye problems.
The main reasons for consultation in paediatric ophthalmology are:
- Strabismus: abnormal deviation of one or both eyes.
- Lazy or amblyopic eye: occurs when one of the eyes has not developed correctly and as a result has less vision than the other.
- Refractive defects: myopia, hypermetropy and astigmatism.
Warning signs:
- Objects are brought very close to the face
- Does not identify family members from faraway
- Sits a short distance from the television or the blackboard
- Complains of headache or blurred vision
- Has a whitish pupil
- Diverts one eye
- Rubs eyes frequently
- Has excessive tearing
