Hypermetropia (farsightedness) is quite common in children. Almost all babies in the period up to three years have vision problems. Most often, unpleasant symptoms disappear completely as the child grows. However, this does not mean that the manifestation of signs of poor vision should be ignored.
Often, hypermetropia in young children can begin to progress and cause quite serious complications. Therefore, it is worth considering in more detail this pathology, as well as methods for its treatment.
Standard reasons
Doctors say that the main factor that leads to hypermetropia in children (according to ICD-10, the disease can be found under the code H52) is the physiological aspect. As a rule, in infants under the age of one year, farsightedness is almost always noted. However, it should not exceed 3 diopters. After the first six months, vision gradually begins to return to normal.
In the case when the restoration of diopters to normal is too slow, the baby can be prescribedcorrective glasses. If we talk about the main causes of eye hypermetropia in a child, then in the first place it leads to:
- increased intraocular pressure;
- eyeball reduction;
- individual characteristics of the baby's body.
It is also not uncommon for situations when certain violations occur in the process of the formation of the child's visual organs. In some situations, even if there is a difference of more than 3 diopters, such deviations are considered normal. However, you need to understand that in any situation the baby will constantly strain his eyes, especially if he starts trying to examine objects that are quite close to him. This is explained by the fact that during this period of time, the normal perception of the outlines of the image is just beginning to form in the child. He spends most of his time in the same position. Therefore, such conditions should not cause serious concern. Nevertheless, it is recommended to consult a specialist and make sure that the development of the baby is proceeding normally.
In some situations, hypermetropia in children is not compensated by the body's resources. This can lead to a decrease in the functioning of the part of the brain that is responsible for vision.
If a child does not develop visual function, then this can lead to incurable complications in the future.
Anatomical and genetic features
Such disorders can also lead to hypermetropia of the eyes in a child. In this casewe are talking about the fact that the baby's cornea is not sufficiently curved, the shape of the lens is changed or it is in the wrong position.
Also, children sometimes suffer from farsightedness due to their genetic predisposition. Accordingly, if one or both parents wear glasses, then naturally, the chances of passing on vision problems to the child will be very high.
Similar reasons include the course of pregnancy in the expectant mother. If a woman ate malnourished, often experienced stress and drank alcoholic beverages, and also smoked, then this will certainly negatively affect the he alth of her baby. It must be understood that the baby's organs begin to develop even in the womb. If she does not take care of her lifestyle, then there is a high probability that the child will be born with numerous problems.
Degrees of hypermetropia
Far-sightedness develops in several stages. During the diagnosis, the doctor may detect mild hypermetropia or more severe manifestations. It is worth considering in more detail the stages of this pathology.
- 1 degree. In this case, the difference is no more than 2 diopters. Doctors call this condition mild hypermetropia in a child. This degree of farsightedness is considered absolutely normal. As the baby grows, more active development of the eyeball will occur, it will increase in size. The eye muscles themselves will become stronger. The clarity of the picture will improve. If no changes are observed and the hypermetropia of the 1st degree in the child has not disappeared, even whenhe is 7 years old, then you should immediately contact an ophthalmologist. It speaks of complications. Perhaps farsightedness is accompanied by other ailments.
- Moderate hypermetropia in children. In this case, the discrepancies will be from 2 to 5 diopters. With the appearance of a moderate degree of pathology, surgical treatment is not performed. Most often, in this situation, the doctor prescribes the use of corrective glasses. As a general rule, children should wear them while reading, painting, and other activities.
- High degree. In this case, the indicator will be higher than 5 diopters. With high hypermetropia in children, doctors recommend using corrective glasses throughout the day. If the vision has deteriorated very much, then in this case the use of contact lenses is allowed.
Symptoms depending on the degree of pathology
It is worth noting that children with a high degree of visual impairment very poorly distinguish between distant objects. In this case, the visual cells in the brain have no incentive to develop. Against this background, over the years, only a decrease in vision occurs, which can lead to serious consequences.
If we are talking about mild hypermetropia of both eyes in a child, then, as a rule, the normal development of vision is preserved, and the baby quite clearly sees objects located in front of him. However, in this case, some children experience fairly rapid general fatigue, dizziness and headaches.
At the average degree of hypermetropia, the child still sees objects well,located far away. However, the picture closest to him starts to blur.
With increased farsightedness, the child does not see both far and near. Because of this, the ability to focus disappears. The retina ceases to develop in a full way, which leads to unpleasant consequences.
To make a diagnosis of farsightedness, it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist, as it is urgent to study the problem and develop a treatment.
Main symptoms
Many believe that the first symptoms of hypermetropia in children can only be detected if the child has already begun to read, write or watch TV. However, the development of this pathology can be noticed much earlier. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to some features of the behavior of your child. Problems can be if the baby:
- while examining objects, bring them as close as possible to the eyes;
- closes his eyes very tightly and starts rubbing his eyeballs with his hands;
- while playing with small objects, leans very strongly towards them (as if he cannot see them);
- gets tired quickly;
- shows strong irritability;
- being in front of a TV or computer monitor, as close as possible to see what is happening on the screen.
Also, hypermetropia in children can be "predicted" if the baby blinks constantly, refuses some activities that require maximum eye strain, orhe often has conjunctivitis in his eyes.
If even the slightest sign of such a pathology appears, you need to contact an ophthalmologist and clarify whether this condition is normal or serious problems await the baby.
Diagnosis
If parents notice signs of hypermetropia in a child of 2-3 years old, then you should not engage in self-diagnosis. If you experience unpleasant symptoms, you should immediately contact an ophthalmologist who will conduct the necessary studies.
During the examination, the specialist can use special drops that dilate the pupil of the eye. Due to this, the lens relaxes, which allows the specialist to consider the real refraction of the eye.
In some situations, one has to deal with hidden visual impairments. In this case, the condition of this organ worsens significantly. Parents should sound the alarm if the child shows very strong irritability, headaches and a general deterioration in the condition, which, at first glance, do not have visible reasons.
In such situations, you need to undergo a full examination. If we talk about diagnostic methods, then first of all, the specialist asks the baby to read the signs indicated on special tables, while closing each eye in turn. This will help determine the degree of farsightedness that the child suffers from.
Then, using a special computer, the optics of the eyes are checked. Today it is the most accurate method to determine the degree of hypermetropia. At the end of the test, the equipment gives a result, which will indicate the number of diopters for each eye of the baby. Also, with the help of modern equipment, you can determine the optical power. If necessary, a special additional examination is carried out, for example, ultrasound (to determine the condition of the fundus).
If we talk about the treatment of hypermetropia of both eyes in a child or if only one visual organ is affected, then it always depends on the degree of the general condition of the baby, as well as on individual characteristics.
Occlusion
In this case we are talking about the treatment of the so-called lazy eye. In order to provoke the work and development of that visual organ, which turned out to be weaker, the child needs to wear a special occlusive bandage for a certain period of time (the duration is determined by the doctor).
After excluding the he althy eye from the visual act, the baby's vision improves significantly.
Hardware treatment
If the degree of damage is insignificant, then in this case, you can resort to similar therapeutic measures. Hardware treatment can be carried out no more than five times in 12 months. If positive dynamics are observed in the process, then in the future the visual organs are restored quite quickly.
However, there are often situations when glasses are indispensable.
Optical correction
As a rule, this method of treatment is prescribed if the baby suffers from moderate or highfarsightedness. In this situation, the child will have to wear glasses permanently.
Of course, no parent would want their child to use this unattractive accessory. However, you need to understand that if you do not take this step, then the pathology can develop into strabismus, which will have to be treated with an eye patch to activate the muscles of the eyeball.
Also, optical correction is prescribed if the baby has already reached the age at which such symptoms cannot be considered normal. In addition, you will have to wear glasses when:
- deterioration of visual acuity;
- constant eye muscle fatigue;
- big difference in visual acuity.
How long to use glasses
With farsightedness, the duration of such a correction depends on certain factors. If hypermetropia is diagnosed in a young child and the development of the disease is at an early stage, then in this case glasses can only be used periodically. For example, when the baby is reading.
With a high degree of farsightedness, it is recommended to use correctors throughout the day. The duration of such therapy depends on how quickly the baby's vision is restored. If the pathology is in an advanced stage or when it comes to a hereditary disease, then it is likely that glasses will need to be used throughout life. However, thanks to modern equipment, today it is possible to restore vision with the help of laser surgery. Only such operations are not performed when it comes to a small child, so you have to wait.
Prevention
Having considered the stages of hypermetropia in children (what it is when the baby does not see objects well), it is also worth voicing a few recommendations that can prevent visual impairment. First of all, in the baby's room there should be a fairly bright light. If he reads or draws at the table, a lamp should be installed on him, the light of which will be directed to a book or album.
You should not allow your child to spend a lot of time in front of the TV or at the computer. Do not allow the baby to look at the screen at the wrong angle. It is also worth asking the pediatrician to show the baby the standard exercises that are recommended to be performed periodically. Thanks to gymnastics, you can strengthen the eye muscles.
In the baby's diet should always be fresh fruits and vegetables. Do not allow the baby to eat a lot of sweets, soda and other junk food. It is worth making sure that the child receives all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Massage, sports and hardening will help strengthen the immune system and keep the whole body of the baby in good shape.
