Health News
Vision problems in children are common. An estimated 13.5 million infants and children ages 1 - 17 have vision problems. The good news is that the majority of these vision problems can be corrected if caught early. Yet less than a third of U.S. elementary children aged 5 years and under had ever had their vision screened prior to starting elementary school, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Maryland mandates hearing and vision screenings for all public school students. But health professionals differ on how early children should be screened. According to this George Washington University Center for Health and Health Care in Schools report on the subject:
"The American Optometric Association and the American Public Health Association recommend comprehensive vision examinations for all children starting at 6 months of age and at regular intervals thereafter, while the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatricians support vision screenings for all children by age 3 and at regular intervals thereafter."
A change in your ability to see, from a neurological perspective, can happen at any age, and can be caused by many conditions, including:
In some cases, your child's pediatrician may recommend consulting a neuro-ophthalmologist. Neuro-ophthalmology is the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders that affect the eye and visual function. Neuro-ophthalmologists receive advanced training in problems of the eye, brain, nerves and muscles.
Michael Altman, M.D., specializes in neuro-ophthalmology and pediatric ophthalmology at Sinai Hosptial of Baltimore's Krieger Eye Institute. In addition to coordinating the resources and specialists there, he puts the diagnostic technology and surgical expertise of Sinai Hospital to work, evaluating and treating neurologically-based vision problems.
Appointments begin with an extensive examination of your child's personal health history, lifestyle, and family history, along with a thorough eye and medical exam, with an emphasis on the neurological system. While some conditions can be treated medically through drug therapy, others may be treated through surgery. Some conditions cannot be treated, except through a change in your child's medical condition.
What do you think is the proper age for a child to have his or her first eye exam?
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- Watching 3-d Movies May Strain Eyes But Doesn't Harm Them And Can Help Detect Vision Impairment, Optometrists Say
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Health News
Early screening key to preventing vision problems in kids
Vision problems in children are common. An estimated 13.5 million infants and children ages 1 - 17 have vision problems. The good news is that the majority of these vision problems can be corrected if caught early. Yet less than a third of U.S. elementary children aged 5 years and under had ever had their vision screened prior to starting elementary school, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Maryland mandates hearing and vision screenings for all public school students. But health professionals differ on how early children should be screened. According to this George Washington University Center for Health and Health Care in Schools report on the subject:
"The American Optometric Association and the American Public Health Association recommend comprehensive vision examinations for all children starting at 6 months of age and at regular intervals thereafter, while the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatricians support vision screenings for all children by age 3 and at regular intervals thereafter."
A change in your ability to see, from a neurological perspective, can happen at any age, and can be caused by many conditions, including:
- Hormonal/pituitary imbalances
- A weakening of nerves controlling the eye muscles
- Infection, disease or pressure on the optic nerve
- Tumor or stroke
- Certain diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
In some cases, your child's pediatrician may recommend consulting a neuro-ophthalmologist. Neuro-ophthalmology is the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders that affect the eye and visual function. Neuro-ophthalmologists receive advanced training in problems of the eye, brain, nerves and muscles.
Michael Altman, M.D., specializes in neuro-ophthalmology and pediatric ophthalmology at Sinai Hosptial of Baltimore's Krieger Eye Institute. In addition to coordinating the resources and specialists there, he puts the diagnostic technology and surgical expertise of Sinai Hospital to work, evaluating and treating neurologically-based vision problems.
Appointments begin with an extensive examination of your child's personal health history, lifestyle, and family history, along with a thorough eye and medical exam, with an emphasis on the neurological system. While some conditions can be treated medically through drug therapy, others may be treated through surgery. Some conditions cannot be treated, except through a change in your child's medical condition.
What do you think is the proper age for a child to have his or her first eye exam?
- Ensure Children's Eye Safety During Fall Sports Season
Children are back in school, playing sports, and parents can take precautions to ensure their children's eye safety as they compete. Although many parents are unaware of the risks posed to their child's eye safety, about 40,000 eye injuries take...
- Kentucky Parents' Overall Perception Of Kentucky Children's Health Doesn't Match The Statistics, Foundation Survey Finds
Many Kentucky parents' perception of their children's health doesn't match statistics, suggesting that many health problems are going undetected or untreated. That is the upshot of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky's first...
- January Is Glaucoma Awareness Month; Disease Is Second Leading Cause Of Blindness
One million Americans will be diagnosed with glaucoma in the next 10 years, prompting Kentucky optometrists to raise awareness of the disease this month. "People who do not visit their eye doctor on a regular basis are putting their vision and quality...
- Watching 3-d Movies May Strain Eyes But Doesn't Harm Them And Can Help Detect Vision Impairment, Optometrists Say
With summer blockbusters set to be released in the coming months, the Kentucky Optometric Association says watching 3-D movies is not harmful to eyes, but can cause eye strain and headaches. To help with those conditions, the association recommends sitting...
- Health Care Hero: Gerami Seitzman, Sinai Hospital
The Maryland Daily Record's Health Care Heroes awards ceremony honors special caregivers who exemplify extraordinary commitment to their profession. The breakfast to honor the 2011 finalists, which includes Sinai's Gerami Seitzman, is on Wednesday,...