Summarize the following:
A pediatric ophthalmologist is a medical doctor that specializes in children's eye care. While all ophthalmologists can treat pediatric patients, doctors with a pediatric specialty are highly trained in various eye disorders in children. Search online to find a pediatric ophthalmologist in your area. The American Optometric Association has a search feature that can help you locate an eye doctor in your area. The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus also has a doctor locator. If you live in a rural or small city, you may need to look in a nearby city to find a specialist. Ask friends and family with children for recommendations. If you know people who have children with vision trouble, ask them to recommend an eye doctor. This may give you a sense of whether that doctor will be right for you. If you have health insurance, make sure that you choose a provider who is covered by your insurance plan. If you aren't sure, you can contact your insurance company to verify whether they will cover the eye doctor you're considering. An eye care professional will assess your child's eyesight and condition of the eyes themselves to determine if your child has a lazy eye. Understanding these will help you feel more comfortable during your visit. This will help you make your child feel more at ease as well. Retinoscopy. The doctor may use a handheld tool called a retinoscope to examine the eye. The retinoscope shines a light into the eye. As the beam moves, the doctor can determine the refractive error (e.g., nearsighted, farsighted, astigmatism) of the eye by watching the retina's "red reflex." This method can be very helpful in diagnosing tumors or cataracts in infants, too. Your doctor will likely use eye-dilating drops to examine your child with this method. Prisms. Your eye doctor may use a prism to test the eye's light reflex. If the reflexes are symmetric, the eyes are straight; if they are not symmetric, the child may have strabismus (a cause of amblyopia). The doctor will hold the prism over one eye and adjust it to determine the reflex. This technique is not as accurate as some other tests for strabismus, but it may be necessary to use when examining very young children. Visual acuity assessment testing (VAT). This type of testing includes several types of exams. The most basic uses the familiar "Snellen chart," where your child will read the smallest letters he can on a standardized letter chart. Other tests may include light response, pupil response, the ability to follow a target, color testing, and distance testing. Photoscreening. Photoscreening is used in pediatric vision exams. It employs a camera to detect vision problems such as strabismus and refractive errors by examining light reflexes from the eye. Photoscreening is especially helpful with very young children (under age three), children who have difficulty sitting still, non-cooperative children, or children with disabilities such as Nonverbal Learning Disorder or autism. The test usually takes less than one minute. Cycloplegic refraction test. This test determines how the eye structure displays and receives images from the lens. Your eye doctor will use eye-dilating drops to perform this test. Young children may feel frightened in new situations, such as a doctor visit. Telling your child what may happen during her eye exam may help soothe and reassure her. It may also help her behave appropriately during the exam procedures. When possible, ensure that your child is not hungry, sleepy, or thirsty when you take her to the eye doctor, as these things can make the child fussy and more difficult to examine. The doctor will likely use eye-dilating drops to dilate your child's eyes. This will help determine the level of refractive error in her eyesight during exams. The doctor may use a flashlight, penlight, or other light tool to help him observe light reflexes in the eyes. The doctor may use objects and photographs to measure eye motility and misalignment. The doctor may use an ophthalmoscope or similar equipment in order to assess if there is any eye disease or abnormalities in the eye. If your child does have vision problems, he will probably spend a lot of time at the eye doctor's office (or what feels like a lot of time to a child). Children who wear glasses will need at least an annual checkup. Your eye doctor and child should have a pleasant rapport (way of interacting). You should always feel as though your child's doctors care about your child. If the eye doctor you have initially chosen is not willing to answer questions and communicate with you, find another. You should not feel rushed or harassed by any doctor. If you had to wait an excessively long time, felt rushed through an appointment, or felt like the doctor considered you a nuisance, don't be afraid to try out another doctor. You may find one who suits your needs better. After examining your child's eyesight, the ophthalmologist can make recommendations about the appropriate treatments for your child. If the doctor has determined that your child has a lazy eye, therapies might include glasses, an eye patch or medication. It is possible that the doctor will suggest eye muscle surgery to realign the eye muscles to their proper position. This procedure is done under general anesthesia. The child will be given general anesthesia. A small incision will be made on the eye and an eye muscle will either be lengthened or shortened, depending on how the lazy eye needs to be corrected. Patching may still be required.
Locate a pediatric ophthalmologist. Familiarize yourself with some testing tools and exams. Tell your child what to expect. Make sure your child feels comfortable with his eye doctor. Learn about different treatments.