| Pediatric ophthalmologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of all eye conditions in children. Children of all ages can be examined by the pediatric ophthalmologist including small infants if problems are suspected. Most serious eye conditions are identified in the preschool years. The earlier these conditions are caught, the better the outcome from treatment is likely to be.Conditions Pediatric ophthalmologists diagnose and treat many eye conditions. Common among them are: Strabismus -- a misalignment of the eyes. The eyes can be misaligned in any direction. The direction in which the eye drifts determines the name used to describe the strabismus. For cases where the eyes turn in or “cross,” the name is "esotropia. " For eyes that drift apart, "exotropia." Strabismus is usually treated with a combination of patching, glasses and surgery. A full eye exam by the pediatric ophthalmologist will allow the establishment of a treatment plan.Amblyopia, is a loss of vision from lack of use in an otherwise normal eye. Amblyopia develops in eyes with strabismus, eyes that are out of focus compared to the other eye and eyes with problems like cataracts or corneal cloudiness. Retinopathy of Prematurity. This is a potentially blinding disease seen in premature low birth weight babies. Examinations are performed in the neonatal intensive care unit and the ophthalmologist’s office after discharge. Pediatric ophthalmologists also treat
Because pediatric ophthalmologists are so experienced in the treatment of childhood strabismus, they will sometimes see adult patients with problems related to adult strabismus. |