Common Children Eye Diseases

Conjunctivitis is commonly known as “pink eye”. It is a condition in which the white part of the eye appears red. It is usually associated with a discharge or a foreign sensation in the eyes. Although conjunctivitis can occur at any age, infants and children which get this condition usually do so because of bacterial or viral infection. Eyedrops or eye ointments will be prescribed for treatment and since this can spread to other family members regular hand washing is needed to prevent further infection.  To learn more on different types of Conjunctivits, browse through the Phoenix Lasik Surgery portal articles

Pseudostrabismus is a type of crossed eye condition that is on temporary. This condition occurs generally in babies and toddlers whose facial features are not yet fully developed. This will disappear when the child’s facial features have become more prominent and more pronounced.

Droopy eyelids refers to a condition where the eyelids are not fully open. This is caused by a weakness in the muscle that opens the eyelid. When it is mild it is just a cosmetic issue; however, when it interferes with vision and is severe, surgery on the eyelid is indicated. Please take note that children at a very young age are not a candidate to undergo any eye surgery for example lasik surgery and/or procedure of the same manner.

Strabismus is a condition where the eyes are crossed or misaligned. This happened when one of the eyes turns to a different direction. This occurs when the muscles in the eye are too tight. Treatment for this usually involves surgery on the eye muscles. If left untreated, children with strabismus may develop amblyopia.

Blocked tear ducts is typical in infants. The tear ducts allow the tears to drain from the eyes into the nose and they usually open up within the first months of life; however, some infants’ ducts remain blocked resulting in mucus collection and overflowing of tears. Your pediatrician will instruct you on how to gently massage the tear duct so as to relieve the blockage. If however the use of massage does not eventually open the duct, a probe or other surgical procedure maybe used by an ophthalmologist to open the duct.

A visit to the ophthalmologist can assure that your baby is not having any eye problems or conditions. Children often develop farsightedness, nearsightedness and astigmatism at an early age; however, your ophthalmologist can help you best decide on a course of treatment if your baby or small child has any seeing problems. While it is not advisable for very young children to undergo corrective eye surgery, there have been instances of some children undergoing eye laser surgery like lasik surgery to correct eye condition.   To learn more about Lasik eye surgery in Phoenix, please visit Phoenix Lasik Surgery portal.