A healthy and happy child is the desire of every parent. Violations visual functions They are becoming more common among children every year. With astigmatism, there is a violation of the refraction of light rays optical system eyes, leading to blurring of vision into several points instead of one. Astigmatism in children is a fairly common problem, and if it is not treated early stage may cause serious visual impairment.
Causes
A disturbance in the optical structure of the eye, leading to weakened vision, is called astigmatism. Abnormalities affect the cornea or lens of the eye. With this disorder, children see objects unclearly or confuse shapes; two optical foci are simultaneously present in the eye, located in the wrong places.
One of the most common diseases is congenital astigmatism in children; it is inherited. It may not show itself at all at first. life path baby, the diagnosis is usually made no earlier than 2 years. Astigmatism can manifest itself at any time as the child grows and develops. It is important to carefully monitor children's vision, especially if there are known cases of vision problems in relatives, and follow the instructions of an ophthalmologist.
Violation may be a consequence eye injuries. Visual impairment is caused by pathological condition jaws and teeth, capable of distorting the walls of the eye sockets.
Important! In most children who are born with a congenital degree of astigmatism, it decreases by the age of one year (<1D), не требует лечения, называется физиологическим.
How it manifests itself
It is almost impossible to determine the presence of a deviation in young children without an examination by an ophthalmologist, since children almost never focus on visual deviations. This happens because the baby simply does not know about the existence of problems. He gets used to what he sees, he doesn’t know what the norm is and what a deviation from the norm is.
Symptoms of the disease:
- the image blurs, doubles;
- dizzy;
- constant headache;
- irritability, increased fatigue under any type of stress;
- refusal to read books, look at pictures, or write work;
- tilting the head, squinting.
You should not expect that astigmatism will go into the physiological phase. The long-term influence of the projection of a blurred image on the retina will prevent the formation of correct visual functions or worsen existing ones.
Attention! Often parents do not attach importance to children's complaints and refusals to read books, considering them lazy and capricious. Be attentive to your child; it is better to visit an ophthalmologist more often than to deal with complications in adulthood.
It is especially difficult to detect astigmatism in children under one year of age, although a good specialist can detect the disease as early as 12 months. Parents should rely on a family history of the disease. Another sign of visual impairment up to one year is the child’s squint, which often accompanies infants.
Types of astigmatism
Visual impairment involves several focal points; based on this, they are divided into several types.
Based on the location of the focus, the following are distinguished:
- Simple astigmatism, in which there are deviations in the functioning of one eye (myopia or farsightedness).
- Complex astigmatism is characterized by the same refractive error in each eye.
- Mixed astigmatism is a combination of nearsightedness in one eye and farsightedness in the other.
Complex astigmatism in both eyes responds well to treatment if you consult a doctor in a timely manner.
Based on the nature of refractions, the following are distinguished:
- Myopic astigmatism. It can be simple and complex. The first is characterized by a combination of the normal structure of one eye with myopia in the other. The second is expressed in the presence of myopia in each eye, with a difference in the strength of its manifestation.
- Hypermetropic astigmatism in children is divided into 2 subtypes. The first is expressed by farsightedness in one eye and the absence of deviations in the other. Complex hypermetropic astigmatism is manifested by farsightedness in both eyes with a difference in severity.
Remember!
Only an ophthalmologist after a hardware examination can diagnose a specific type and determine how to treat astigmatism.
Degrees of astigmatism in children
Visual pathology is classified according to the severity of visual impairment. The degree shows the power of refraction of light.
- There are 3 degrees:
- average from 3 to 6 diopters, observed less frequently, glasses do not help with correction, corrected by laser vision correction or surgery;
- high from 6 diopters can be corrected by a combination of laser and surgical correction or by wearing hard contact lenses.
The worse your vision, the more difficult it is to correct.
Is astigmatism in children treatable or not?
There are several methods for correcting vision in children. With timely identification of the problem and the beginning of the use of conservative treatment methods, vision is compensated, but astigmatism does not completely disappear.
Correction of astigmatism for children:
- Wearing glasses is widespread. Children are prescribed special glasses with cylindrical lenses for constant wear. During the first days, during the process of getting used to it, the child may complain of unpleasant sensations and headaches, but then they go away. If complaints do not go away within 2 weeks, consult a doctor; the glasses may be chosen incorrectly. This is the simplest and cheapest method, however, many children refuse to wear glasses; they interfere with sports activities and limit peripheral vision.
- Correction with contact lenses allows you to avoid the disadvantages of spectacle correction, promotes improved vision and the proper development of visual centers. This method is not suitable for young children, since they cannot insert lenses into their eyes themselves; if adults try to insert them, they can damage the cornea of the eye.
- Surgical correction is not used until the child reaches 18 years of age; only by this time does vision stabilize and the development of visual organs stops. For children under 18 years of age, surgery is prescribed in extreme cases.
Glasses and lenses allow you to correct vision so that visual functions can develop correctly. They usually work well to correct nearsighted or farsighted astigmatism.
Important! The pathology can only be completely corrected through surgery.
After prescribing glasses to the child and adapting to them, a check is carried out by an ophthalmologist; if visual improvements are not observed, hardware treatment (pleoptics) may be prescribed. Two to three courses of treatment usually help restore vision. If astigmatism is detected in a child, a vision test should be carried out at least 4 times a year.
Eye training
For myopia and farsightedness, different exercises are prescribed. It is recommended to supplement all exercises with soft and frequent blinking.
Gymnastics for children's eyes:
- Look into the distance, extend your finger at a distance of 30 cm from your eyes. Focus on it, then on an object located in the distance. Repeat 10 times.
- Write out shapes and the alphabet in the air with open eyes.
- Close your eyes tightly, then open your eyes (repeat 5-7 times).
- Extend your hand forward, focus your gaze on your index finger. Slowly bring your hand closer to your face, without leaving your finger until it begins to double. Do several repetitions.
- Close your eyes and massage them with light pressure with your thumbs.
- Sit with your eyes closed (just let them relax).
Doing eye exercises is also useful for preventing the development of vision problems.
Preventive measures
It is impossible to avoid the manifestations of congenital pathology, but it is possible to prevent the development of the acquired form.
How to carry out prevention:
- ensure proper lighting in the house;
- alternate visual and physical activity (allow the child to take breaks during school lessons and homework);
- perform eye exercises;
- massage the eyelids;
- Healthy food;
- protect eyes from injury and infection;
- Have an annual examination with an ophthalmologist.
Vision is very important for a person. When a child sees well, he can study normally and play sports without experiencing discomfort. Wearing glasses can be a real tragedy for a teenager. Be attentive to children, listen to complaints, take care of their health in advance.
It’s unpleasant for everyone to learn about their child’s illnesses. Astigmatism in children is no exception. Those who are most frightened are those who do not know what it is, who are not aware of the essence of this phenomenon and its causes.
If you look deeper, astigmatism is more of an “error” of the eye, in which the lens is deformed. In the absence of disorders, the cornea of the eye has a spherical surface, and in this case it resembles the surface of a melon. Subsequently, the light is broken incorrectly, the object is focused not on the retina, but in front of it or behind it, the child sees objects unclearly or they are deformed.
Astigmatism is a fairly common ophthalmic disease.
In most cases, a small degree of astigmatism is present in newborns - physiological astigmatism. Subsequently, by the end of the first year, the severity decreases by 1 diopter. This form does not require treatment.
It is most difficult for parents to identify disorders in a child under one year old, since he cannot say anything that could confirm suspicions. The situation may worsen if the child’s astigmatism is hereditary or acquired, and there is no proper treatment for astigmatism in the child.
It is very difficult for parents with a small degree of impairment to determine astigmatism on their own, but an ophthalmologist will detect it in a one-year-old child.
The causes of astigmatism in children are often eye injuries, eye surgeries, or pathologies of the dental system. In this case, acquired astigmatism occurs.
Do not try to diagnose yourself, consult an ophthalmologist
If one of the parents or grandparents has astigmatism, it can be inherited. Congenital astigmatism in children is caused by a genetic predisposition. But this does not mean that the child has poor vision from birth. Violations may be absent for a long time or appear suddenly. Parents should keep in mind that their child is in the “risk zone”, so they should visit the ophthalmologist for examination more often than expected. But In most cases, a decrease in visual acuity in children occurs in the absence of astigmatism in relatives.
A drooping upper eyelid can also cause deformation of the cornea, as it puts pressure on the eye.
The following types of astigmatism are distinguished:
- Myopic. In this case, one or two meridians have myopia. Its form is complex myopic astigmatism in children, in which myopia of varying degrees is observed in both eyes, so the rays are focused in front of the retina at two points.
- Hyperopic astigmatism is characterized by the presence, in addition to astigmatism, of farsightedness in one or two meridians, to the same or different degrees. Hypermetropia is a condition in which the image is displaced behind the retina. The focal length of the lens is longer than normal, the curvature is less, which is the cause of farsightedness.
- Mixed. In this case, farsighted astigmatism in children in one eye is combined with nearsightedness in the other.
There are 3 degrees of astigmatism:
- weak – 1-2 diopters;
- average – 2.5-3 diopters;
- complex - from 3.5 and above.
Signs
- decreased visual acuity;
- objects have blurry contours;
- there are headaches, pain in the eyebrows, forehead, dizziness;
- the child constantly squints, peering, sometimes bends over;
- the eyes get tired, it would seem, from an insignificant load, they hurt;
With astigmatism, a child sees objects blurred
- eyes turn red and often water;
- with an advanced form, the child may stumble, often fall, and put things past the intended place.
A huge mistake parents make is not promptly contacting a specialist treating this disease. The child cannot independently determine that he sees poorly. Parents, having discovered at least one of the signs, do not need to waste time, since the effectiveness and result of vision correction depends on this. Otherwise, the consequences can be very dire. This is blurred vision or strabismus.
In addition, a malfunction may occur in the areas of the brain that are responsible for the functioning of the visual organs. Then a disease called amblyopia appears. It is characterized by a sharp deterioration in vision; ordinary lenses or glasses will no longer help; special glasses are required. The method of gluing one piece of glass is used to force the eye, which sees worse, and the brain responsible for this function, to work.
Diagnostics
Often, childhood astigmatism is detected by an ophthalmologist during examination. To do this, it is possible to use an autorefractometer, a special device. In addition, the use of a cylindrical lens and a symbol plate. Of course, small children will not name the pictures, but astigmatism in a 4-year-old child can be suspected by the fact that he does not see on the sign.
The keratometry method allows you to determine the degree of curvature of the corneal meridians. The development of computer technology has come to the aid of getting rid of astigmatism by creating computer topography of the eye. This helps not only to see and evaluate the degree of curvature of the cornea, but also its shape and thickness.
Preventative examinations with an ophthalmologist are mandatory
It is most difficult for a child to independently see deviations in vision if it is congenital astigmatism or acquired at an early age, since he has only seen the world this way and does not know that his vision requires treatment. In this case, parents need to be especially careful.
The sooner the disorder is detected, the faster and more effective the course of treatment will be, and the development of complications will be avoided. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the procedure for undergoing preventive examinations with an ophthalmologist at the following ages:
- 2 months;
- 4 months;
- 12 months;
- 3 years…
Treatment of astigmatism
Doctors know how to treat astigmatism in children. Since it is not an inflammatory process, the use of medications is unjustified. There are two main methods to combat the problem:
- laser correction;
- use of glasses or lenses.
Is it possible to treat astigmatism with laser correction? Can. Laser correction leads to improved vision, but like surgical intervention, it is permissible only after 18. Before this age, eye growth and development still occur. You can wear glasses from an age when a child can consciously wear them and not play with them. So it will be impossible for a 2-year-old child to put on glasses, and after much effort the parents will have to give up this idea.
Up to 18 years of age, astigmatism can be corrected with glasses and contact lenses.
Correcting vision in children with astigmatic glasses is the easiest way. Many parents do not know whether astigmatism can be treated with glasses, so they make concessions to their children, since they do not like to walk or be in class wearing glasses. Glasses are a method of correction, so when prescribing them by an ophthalmologist, you should not neglect the recommendations.
Also, glasses may be prescribed for constant wear, or the doctor may advise wearing them only when necessary. This also cannot be ignored, no matter whether the child is 4, 5 or 6 years old, the ophthalmologist makes prescriptions based on the diagnosis, not age.
The glasses are selected strictly by the doctor. Tearfulness and dizziness at first are common and normal. After about a week, this will pass. But if the symptoms do not disappear, you need to tell your doctor about this, since, most likely, the glasses were chosen incorrectly. Vision correction with glasses is a simple and inexpensive method. But it also has its drawbacks - limited lateral vision, causing discomfort when playing sports.
Lenses, compared to glasses, do not cause such discomfort. But when wearing them, appropriate care, accuracy and responsibility are required. Therefore, not every child will be able to walk in them.
Contact lenses require special care, so not every child can wear them.
Hard contact lenses differ in how they are used. Those who have not used them should be armed with information on how astigmatism is treated with such lenses. They put them on at night and take them off in the morning. Correction of the shape of the cornea occurs precisely during sleep, so vision improves in the morning, but by the evening it returns to the previous figures. Therefore, to be effective and achieve noticeable results, hard lenses must be worn every night. The treatment method with contact lenses, both for wearing during the day and at night, is possible only for minor impairments, up to 1.5 diopters.
Hardware treatment
Today, hardware treatment occupies a leading place in vision correction, as it is absolutely safe and effective. It is suitable for different age categories of children and adolescents and is absolutely painless. But it is advisable to start treatment at the age of five, then it will be more effective. A child with vision problems must undergo an examination to establish an accurate diagnosis.
The child must undergo a full examination to make an accurate diagnosis
Only after this the doctor prescribes which devices the child should be treated with. It could be:
- laser stimulation;
- magnetic stimulation;
- photostimulation;
- massages;
- electrical stimulation;
- training.
The course of hardware treatment consists of 10 procedures. The duration of the procedure is 60 minutes. But if the child, for example, is only 2 years old, it will be difficult for him to sit still for so long, so he will need the help of parents here.
Correcting vision in children at home using exercises
The exercise method helps to force those eye muscles to work, which in simple mode do not perform their functions. It is recommended to do the exercises 3 times a day, repeating each exercise 6 times.
- Eye movements up and down, left and right.
- You need to move your eyes in a circle in one direction, then the other.
- Frequent blinking.
- You need to go to the window, put your finger in front of you, and alternate your gaze from the finger to an object in the distance. Alternately with each eye.
Exercises help all eye muscles develop evenly
Prevention
Special preventive techniques are a means of inhibiting and even preventing it.
- The lighting regime must be strictly observed. It should not be spot-on; exclude fluorescent lamps. Any load should be carried out in bright light.
- Stress on the eyes should not be long; every half hour you should do eye exercises lasting 5-6 minutes, and also periodically alternate with physical work.
- Eyelid massage can relieve stress from the eyes and normalize intraocular pressure. It is carried out carefully, with soft circular movements of the fingers.
Often, vision problems in children appear when they go to school, that is, from the age of 6. During this period, the daily routine changes greatly, so eye diseases that did not appear earlier may well begin to bother you now. Therefore, do not miss this period of 6-7 years, be sure to see an ophthalmologist and do not allow the disease to progress.
The health of the child is in the hands of the parents, and only their actions determine what kind of vision their child will have, and whether the astigmatism present in children will succumb to the fight. We hope that from this article you learned what astigmatism is, its treatment and all the points that interest you, now it’s up to you.
Dec 13, 2016 Doc
There are many eye diseases that are diagnosed in children. Astigmatism is quite common, and this pathology can occur as an independent disease or accompany another illness. It is difficult to suspect the disease; it is usually detected by an ophthalmologist. Let's consider the types and degrees of astigmatism, its causes and ways to correct the situation.
What is astigmatism?
The eyeball is spherical in shape, which allows optical processes to occur in it in accordance with the laws of physics. Astigmatism is a distortion of the contours of the cornea or lens, which leads to a decrease in the quality of vision.
Rays of light entering an astigmatic eye are not focused at a single point, forming an image, but diverge at different angles. As a result, a person may not see objects clearly, but with distortions. With a small degree of astigmatism, the deformations are noticeable only with lateral vision.
Classification of astigmatism
Astigmatism is classified according to location, stage, cause of occurrence, type, degree of damage to the meridians of the eye (myopic, hypermetropic, mixed). Let's take a closer look at the types of astigmatism in children under one year of age and older and various ways to classify this condition.
Types of astigmatism
Signs of astigmatism Astigmatism in children under one year of age is most often congenital. This type of disease is quite dangerous, because without proper treatment and correction it can provoke the development of strabismus in a child or loss of vision. Acquired astigmatism is formed due to the influence of external factors.
There are simple and complex astigmatism:
- simple is a deviation from the norm of one of the meridians, which are two conditional outer lines encircling the eyeball;
- in case of a complex violation, two meridians are recorded at once.
Astigmatism can also be direct or reverse:
- with a straight line, the vertical meridian has a stronger refraction;
- in reverse, refraction is stronger near the horizontal “belt” of the eye.
Astigmatism can be hyperopic (far-sighted), myopic (near-sighted) or mixed. Let's take a closer look at these varieties:
- The hypermetropic type can be simple or complex. Simple is a weakening of refraction (the presence of farsightedness) in only one meridian of the eye, while the other remains within normal limits. Complex is diagnosed in pathological processes of various stages in both meridians.
- The myopic type, like the farsighted one, can be simple or compound. Increased refraction can be observed in one meridian of the eye or in both.
- Mixed astigmatism in children is a change in refraction in both meridians. One of them has hypermetropic deformation (farsightedness), and the other has myopia (nearsightedness).
Severity of astigmatism
Astigmatism is also classified according to severity. He can be:
- Physiological – 0.5-1.0 diopter. With this degree of astigmatism, there is usually no discomfort.
- Weak. Many ophthalmologist patients are familiar with astigmatism of up to 3 diopters; it often occurs in children under one year of age.
- Average This type of disease is diagnosed if pathological changes in the cornea reach 6 diopters.
- High – more than 6-7 diopters.
Causes of the problem
As we have already mentioned, astigmatism in a child can be congenital or acquired. The first option is diagnosed in the following cases:
- Genetic predisposition. If one of the parents has eye diseases, the baby may also have a problem.
- Diseases of the mother that could affect the child in intrauterine life.
There are many reasons for the development of acquired astigmatism. Among them are:
- eye injuries;
- inflammation of the cornea;
- a corneal disease called acute keratoconus;
- malocclusions can contribute to deformation of the upper jaw and changes in the shape of the eye sockets;
- difficult birth, in which the baby was pulled out of the birth canal with forceps or a vacuum unit;
- surgical operations on the eyes.
Characteristic symptoms in a child
Almost all children are born with a low degree of astigmatism, called physiological. It can progress with age, and then the child will begin to experience discomfort.
Schematic representation of astigmatic disorder Possible symptoms:
- eye fatigue after watching cartoons;
- weakened vision (you should pay attention to visual acuity if the baby bends too low over the drawing);
- headaches, especially after eye strain.
These signs are only indirect symptoms of astigmatism, but if they appear, you should definitely visit an ophthalmologist. Timely prescribed therapy will stop the progression of the disease.
Diagnostic methods
There is a set of methods for diagnosing astigmatism. The doctor conducts a detailed examination:
- checking visual acuity (possible only from 1-3 years, since a child under one year old will not be able to say what exactly he sees in the table);
- examination of eye structures (carried out even in newborns);
- determination of refraction using a shadow test or computer refractometry;
- biomicroscopy of the eye (will help identify the source of astigmatism and the type of corneal disease);
- ophthalmoscopy (performed to identify abnormalities in the structure of the fundus);
- ophthalmometry;
- Ultrasound of the eyes;
- computer keratotopography of the eye (helps to assess the curvature of the corneal surface).
Why should therapy be started as early as possible?
Astigmatism in children: can it be treated or not? Of course, it can be treated, but therapy should be started as early as possible. With timely intervention by an ophthalmologist, this problem can be almost completely eliminated, avoiding complications.
Astigmatism tends to progress, reducing the quality of vision, and over time lead to strabismus (more details in the article:). In addition, the problem may be just one of the symptoms of eye diseases.
Treatment of astigmatism
Treatment of astigmatism requires a comprehensive approach. To correct vision, your doctor may recommend wearing special glasses or contact lenses. There are also other methods of combating the disease: eye gymnastics, hardware or surgical intervention. Let us consider the listed methods of treating astigmatism in more detail.
Glasses and lenses
Glasses are the simplest and most effective method of correcting pathology. The frame must have special cylindrical lenses and be selected individually.
However, glasses are prescribed only for mild or moderate disease. Deep astigmatism in children is not subject to this type of correction, as it can cause headaches and pain in the eyes.
Glasses are the most effective method of combating astigmatism Toric contact lenses can also help treat astigmatism. Ophthalmologists are confident that these devices can be worn by children. The main factor for prescribing this type of correction to a child is his ability to put on the products independently, as well as compliance with hygiene rules.
As for age, experts consider it quite acceptable to wear lenses from 8 years of age. In some cases, these devices can be prescribed even to a one-year-old baby.
Gymnastics for the eyes
Regular eye exercises in combination with other methods of correcting astigmatism can significantly improve the condition of the cornea. Gymnastics promotes the training of the eye muscles, as well as a high-quality supply of oxygen to the tissues.
The simplest and most effective exercises a child can do:
- Blinking. You need to try to blink as often as possible for 1-2 minutes (we recommend reading:).
- "Drawing with the eyes." To do this, you need to stand in the center of the room and select one of the walls to perform the exercise. Look at the upper left corner of the room, smoothly move your gaze diagonally to the lower right. Then perform the movement in reverse - from the upper right corner, move your gaze to the lower left. Repeat several times.
- Stand near the window and look at some stationary object behind the glass, looking at it for 15 seconds. It could be a tree, a window in a house, a billboard. Then turn your gaze to a nearby object (for example, a watch, your own finger) and examine it for 3-5 seconds. Repeat 5-10 times. This exercise trains accommodation.
Hardware treatment
Hardware therapy helps fight eye pathologies Hardware therapy methods occupy a worthy place in the treatment of astigmatism in children. The most relevant among them are:
- Exposure of the cornea to infrared radiation at close range. This treatment helps to increase the supply of oxygen to tissues, and also removes the spasm of accommodation (see also:).
- Massage using special glasses called “mini-hyperbaric chamber”. This type of treatment increases blood circulation, activates the work of the eye muscles, and improves the hydrodynamics of the eyes.
- Exposure to electric current. Used to detect dystrophic processes in the optic nerve or retina. The ophthalmic electrical stimulator produces impulses of weak strength and a certain shape.
There are other hardware methods that can cure or slow down the development of the disease. However, the decision whether to use them or not must be made by a doctor.
Surgical methods
Surgical treatment methods include the following types of correction:
- Laser. For astigmatism, 3-4 diopters are performed in one direction or the other.
- Phakic lens implantation. This method is used as an alternative to laser correction; it is used for severe disease.
- Laser coagulation. This is done to prevent retinal detachment.
Prognosis and prevention
The prognosis of the disease depends on how promptly the child’s parents sought help. With congenital astigmatism, the probability of the problem worsening is 30%. There is approximately the same probability that the disease will develop into a milder form.
It is important to regularly visit the ophthalmologist so that the doctor adjusts the treatment according to the development of the pathological process. If you follow simple rules of prevention, the development of astigmatism can be slowed down and even stopped. Let's list the most obvious ones:
- Control of the child's visual mode. Watching TV and computer games should be kept to a minimum and alternated with other activities.
- The lighting of the baby's workplace should be organized so that the light falls from the left and is not too bright or dim.
- Eye exercises will be an excellent prevention of vision loss if done systematically.
Astigmatism is a pathological condition that occurs due to the irregular shape of the cornea or lens and leads to impaired refraction of light rays and a change in normal image perception.
In a healthy person, the cornea has a spherical, slightly elongated shape, and its ability to change the direction of rays is equal in all planes. With astigmatism, the refractoriness in different meridians of the cornea is different, therefore the image does not focus on the retina.
This is where the visual defect got its name, which is literally translated from Latin as “lack of focus” (“a” is a particle of negation, “stigme” is a point). With this disease, there is no point at which light rays merge into a single whole; the baby sees a blurred, distorted picture.
In most cases, the disease is associated with curvature of the cornea; pathology of the eye lens in this disease is much less common.
Causes of astigmatism in children
Depending on the factor that caused the pathological process, astigmatism is divided into:
- congenital.
Genetic predisposition plays a major role in the development of the disease, and inheritance occurs not only from close relatives and parents. Visual pathology can occur in the case of isolated manifestations of the disease in the family. A baby is born with structural features of the cornea or lens, which later manifest themselves in the form of astigmatism;
- acquired.
There are many reasons for the appearance of astigmatism in a baby: operations and injuries to the eye, leading to scar changes in the cornea and disruption of its shape, subluxation of the lens. It happens that visual impairment occurs due to pathology of the dental system, a serious malocclusion. In this case, deformation of the upper jaw and the walls of the orbit occurs.
Congenital astigmatism in children is much more common than acquired astigmatism; according to statistics, 98% of cases of this visual pathology are associated with hereditary factors.
The pathological condition has many varieties depending on the ability of the eye to refract light rays on the main meridians (perpendicular planes of the eye). Experts distinguish between direct and reverse astigmatism, depending on the vertical or horizontal location of the greatest refractive power, astigmatism with oblique axes.
In addition, the disease differs in the location of the meridians:
- correct;
- wrong.
Correct astigmatism, with a perpendicular arrangement of the main meridians, depending on the type of refraction, is divided into:
- simple (refraction is broken in one of the meridians);
- complex astigmatism (the same myopic or hypermetropic disturbances are recorded in both planes);
- mixed (different refractions are found in the meridians, myopia is found in one of the planes, and farsightedness is found in the other).
In most cases, focus impairment is combined with other visual impairments:
- in children.
In this case, the cornea is curved in such a way that the rays are projected onto the retina, as with. The baby sees distant objects worse than close ones, but all this is accompanied by astigmatic distortion.
Since this pathology in most cases is congenital, the child may not understand that he sees poorly. The signs of the disease in this case are indirect; astigmatism is often detected during routine medical examinations, although the baby did not complain about poor vision.
- hypermetropic astigmatism.
The combination of impaired focus and farsightedness leads to a significant deterioration in the child’s vision. The baby cannot see objects located close to him; difficulties arise when reading or looking at pictures at close distances. But images located at a distance also seem distorted and blurry to the baby.
Farsighted astigmatism for children under one year of age is considered physiological, and is associated with the structural features of the baby’s visual organs.
According to severity, ophthalmologists distinguish:
- weak degree - change in vision does not exceed 3 diopters;
- medium - from 3 to 6 diopters;
- high – over 6 diopters.
Astigmatism: disease or feature?
People who have a focus disorder are not always aware of it. As long as the amount of astigmatism does not exceed 0.5 - 0.7 diopters, changes in vision do not occur. In this case, the person does not require special correction, and astigmatism is considered as a feature of the organ of vision.
In infants, astigmatism is considered physiological, and the presence of several focusing points of light rays is normal. The reason for this is the structure of the baby’s eye; a newborn is born with a convex cornea. The amount of astigmatism in a baby can reach 6 diopters, which is equivalent to severe pathology in an adult. Over time, the shape of the eyeball changes, and the severity of visual impairment decreases.
Astigmatism in an infant is not always considered normal; sometimes the condition may indicate a congenital pathology. To accurately determine whether the baby has a disease, it is worth showing the baby to a specialist. Dr. Komarovsky insists on early diagnosis of eye diseases in children, and recommends visiting an ophthalmologist starting from the age of 3 months. In this way, the doctor will be able to track the dynamics of changes that occur in the baby’s organ of vision and identify the disease in time.
Symptoms of astigmatism
To determine whether a child has a vision pathology, parents will be helped by characteristic symptoms that are worth paying attention to:
- head tilt. This symptom appears one of the first in a baby. To carefully examine an object, the child has to tilt his head at a specific angle. Thus, the baby intuitively selects the best position for correctly focusing the light rays;
- squinting of the eye. Trying to see an object, the baby may squint one or both eyes, trying to adapt to the image. Parents whose children suffer from myopic astigmatism may notice that the baby approaches the object in question, closes its eye and tilts its head to the side. If a child has signs of farsighted astigmatism, the baby moves away from the object, maintaining a specific position of the head and squinting the eye;
- visual fatigue. Guys often rub their eyes after watching cartoons or reading a book. Those who are older complain of pain and burning in the eyes after straining the visual apparatus. Signs of fatigue appear quickly, the baby needs rest more often;
- disturbance of well-being. The child may feel weakness, dizziness, and headache when there is strain on the organ of vision. All this affects the general condition of the child and the pace of his neuropsychic development;
- learning difficulties. It is very difficult for a child to fix his eyes on objects for a long time, to remember letters, the baby becomes whiny, does not want to study, and conflicts arise with parents. When trying to educate a child with a complex pathology, significant difficulties arise. The picture that a child sees may be blurry, smeared, or elongated. Of course, in this case there can be no question of the child’s academic performance.
Should astigmatism be treated?
Parents often ask the question: “Will astigmatism go away on its own, and is this disease treatable in children or not?” It is impossible to answer these questions unequivocally; it all depends on the age of the child and the severity of the pathological condition. It happens that a slight visual impairment passes without a trace and does not entail any consequences, but sometimes the disease becomes severe and leads to serious complications.
Parents should understand that the question of the need and extent of astigmatism therapy is decided by an ophthalmologist individually for each child. Children under one year of age most likely will not need any treatment; it will be enough to simply come for examination regularly and monitor the function of the organ of vision. For older children, the doctor will advise correcting the pathology using conservative methods. Surgical treatment is suitable only for adults, after 18–20 years of life.
Experts consider astigmatism to be more of a pathological condition, a “refractive error of the eye,” than a disease. But this problem entails serious troubles for the child’s body. Therefore, doctors advise correcting astigmatism as early as possible, when the first symptoms of visual impairment appear.
Complications of astigmatism
Even a slight deviation in the shape of the cornea or lens leads to the appearance of several focal points and impaired stereoscopic vision. The baby develops strabismus, due to which the child constantly feels tension and rapid eye fatigue. In addition, strabismus is often the cause of psychological problems in a growing baby.
The baby's vision progressively deteriorates, and it becomes difficult for the child to comprehend the school curriculum. Banal reading of a book can cause headaches and pain in the eyes, weakness, and irritability in a child. Problems often arise with teachers and peers who do not understand the child’s characteristics.
The most dangerous complication is considered to be amblyopia, “lazy eye”. In the case of long-term uncorrected astigmatism, the visual analyzer located in the brain ceases to recognize the image obtained from the damaged eye. When an eye disease is eliminated, the child’s vision does not return, since the pathological process entails changes in the child’s brain.
Treatment of astigmatism in children
Correction of astigmatism in children is most often carried out using glasses and contact lenses. It is important for parents to understand that conservative therapy for astigmatism will not completely rid the child of the disease, but will slow down the progression of the pathology and improve the child’s vision and quality of life.
Special glasses
Glasses are the simplest, cheapest and safest way to correct vision for astigmatism. They are selected individually, after a complete examination of the little patient. In some cases, it is necessary to make custom optics to create optimal conditions for focusing light rays on the retina and correcting vision.
In the first week after choosing glasses, the child may complain of a headache; this is due to the adaptation of the visual analyzer to the new operating mode. But if the symptom persists for a longer period, you should consult a doctor.
Many parents are faced with the problem of children's reluctance to wear glasses. You need to be tolerant and understanding towards the child, because this can be a difficult psychological moment for the baby. Moms and dads should encourage the baby and try to choose a comfortable and beautiful pair of glasses.
Contact lenses
For older children, another method of vision correction is suitable - the use of contact lenses. An ophthalmologist will help you select the necessary product after a thorough examination of the child. Modern lenses are easy to use, especially for active children, and perfectly correct vision. Disadvantages include the need for regular care of the product, the use of special solutions and periodic change of lenses.
One of the methods for correcting astigmatism in children is orthokeratology - wearing hard contact lenses. This method may be suitable for children who categorically refuse to wear glasses or wear daily contact lenses. A distinctive feature of this method is the use of a vision-correcting product only at night. The lens is made in such a way that it can temporarily change the curvature of the cornea and improve vision.
Gymnastics for the eyes
Exercises specially selected by the doctor, in combination with other methods of correcting astigmatism, will help improve the condition of the cornea and eye muscles. The advantages of this method include accessibility, ease of implementation and a small investment of time to complete the complex. Exercises have a beneficial effect on overworked eyes due to constant tension in the eye muscles, help stabilize vision and reduce the risk of complications.
Hardware treatment of astigmatism in children
To treat astigmatism in children, special devices have recently been widely used to help improve the condition of the visual system. When correcting astigmatism in children, doctors recommend using infrared laser therapy, magnetic therapy, a laser stimulator, special massage glasses and other methods.
Each of the methods of hardware therapy has contraindications and application features, so only the doctor decides which method and which course is most suitable for the baby.
Surgical intervention
Eye surgery can only be performed when the child reaches 18 years of age. For younger children, a combination of conservative treatment methods will be suitable to help stabilize vision. Surgery is performed if other types of treatment have failed.
Main types of operations for astigmatism:
- keratotomy.
This type of intervention is used for mixed astigmatism and myopia. The doctor uses a special device to make incisions on the cornea. As tissue heals, vision improves due to changes in the curvature of the cornea and the refractive power of light rays;
- thermokeratocoagulation.
Suitable for correcting farsighted astigmatism. The essence of the operation is to increase the curvature of the cornea by cauterizing it with a miniature metal needle;
- laser and conductive coagulation.
These operations are considered a more modern version of thermokeratocoagulation. In this case, instead of a needle, a special laser or radio frequency radiation is used.
- laser vision correction.
It is considered the most effective and safe way to correct vision for various types of astigmatism. The method involves correcting the thinnest layer of the cornea using a laser beam so that the refracted light is focused directly onto the retina. The intervention is performed under local anesthesia and provides normal vision to the patient;
- implantation of intraocular lenses.
This method of surgical treatment has the same principle as the use of contact lenses, but special lenses are not put on the cornea, but are placed inside the eye.
Prognosis for astigmatism in children
Typically, the degree of congenital astigmatism decreases during the first year of a child’s life. By age 7, most children's vision has stabilized, but if left untreated, the outcome can be unpredictable. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the problem in time and correct astigmatism. This will improve your visual acuity and increase the likelihood of your glasses decreasing in strength and avoiding glasses in the future.
conclusions
The health of a baby’s visual organ largely depends on the attentiveness and responsibility of parents. They are the first to notice a change in the baby’s condition and can seek help from a specialist. Moms and dads need to know what astigmatism is and how this pathology can manifest itself in children.
Methods for correcting this disease should not be neglected. Although conservative treatment methods cannot “cure” the disease, since they do not affect the cause of the disease, the use of corrective treatment improves the prognosis of this disease and prevents the development of dangerous complications. Parents need to remember that the foundation of health is laid in childhood, and the consequences of improper treatment can last a lifetime.
Category: Astigmatism
A healthy and happy child is the desire of every parent. Visual impairment among children is becoming more common every year. With astigmatism, the refraction of light rays by the optical system of the eye occurs, leading to blurring of vision into several points instead of one. Astigmatism in children is a fairly common problem, and if not treated early, it can lead to serious vision problems.
Causes
A disturbance in the optical structure of the eye, leading to weakened vision, is called astigmatism. Abnormalities affect the cornea or lens of the eye. With this disorder, children see objects unclearly or confuse shapes; two optical foci are simultaneously present in the eye, located in the wrong places.
One of the most common diseases is congenital astigmatism in children; it is inherited. It may not manifest itself in any way at the beginning of the baby’s life; usually the diagnosis is made no earlier than 2 years. Astigmatism can manifest itself at any time as the child grows and develops. It is important to carefully monitor children's vision, especially if there are known cases of vision problems in relatives, and follow the instructions of an ophthalmologist.
The disorder can be a consequence of eye injuries. Visual impairment is caused by a pathological condition of the jaws and teeth, which can distort the walls of the eye sockets.
Important! In most children who are born with a congenital degree of astigmatism, it decreases by the age of one year (<1D), не требует лечения, называется физиологическим.
How it manifests itself
It is almost impossible to determine the presence of a deviation in young children without an examination by an ophthalmologist, since children almost never focus on visual deviations. This happens because the baby simply does not know about the existence of problems. He gets used to what he sees, he doesn’t know what the norm is and what a deviation from the norm is.
Symptoms of the disease:
- the image blurs, doubles;
- dizzy;
- constant headache;
- irritability, increased fatigue under any type of stress;
- refusal to read books, look at pictures, or write work;
- tilting the head, squinting.
You should not expect that astigmatism will go into the physiological phase. The long-term influence of the projection of a blurred image on the retina will prevent the formation of correct visual functions or worsen existing ones.
Attention! Often parents do not attach importance to children's complaints and refusals to read books, considering them lazy and capricious. Be attentive to your child; it is better to visit an ophthalmologist more often than to deal with complications in adulthood.
It is especially difficult to detect astigmatism in children under one year of age, although a good specialist can detect the disease as early as 12 months. Parents should rely on a family history of the disease. Another sign of visual impairment up to one year is the child’s squint, which often accompanies infants.
Types of astigmatism
Visual impairment involves several focal points; based on this, they are divided into several types.
Based on the location of the focus, the following are distinguished:
- Simple astigmatism, in which there are deviations in the functioning of one eye (myopia or farsightedness).
- Complex astigmatism is characterized by the same refractive error in each eye.
- Mixed astigmatism is a combination of nearsightedness in one eye and farsightedness in the other.
Complex astigmatism in both eyes responds well to treatment if you consult a doctor in a timely manner.
Based on the nature of refractions, the following are distinguished:
- Myopic astigmatism. It can be simple and complex. The first is characterized by a combination of the normal structure of one eye with myopia in the other. The second is expressed in the presence of myopia in each eye, with a difference in the strength of its manifestation.
- Hypermetropic astigmatism in children is divided into 2 subtypes. The first is expressed by farsightedness in one eye and the absence of deviations in the other. Complex hypermetropic astigmatism is manifested by farsightedness in both eyes with a difference in severity.
Remember!
Only an ophthalmologist after a hardware examination can diagnose a specific type and determine how to treat astigmatism.
Degrees of astigmatism in children
Visual pathology is classified according to the severity of visual impairment. The degree shows the power of refraction of light.
- There are 3 degrees:
- average from 3 to 6 diopters, observed less frequently, glasses do not help with correction, corrected by laser vision correction or surgery;
- high from 6 diopters can be corrected by a combination of laser and surgical correction or by wearing hard contact lenses.
The worse your vision, the more difficult it is to correct.
Is astigmatism in children treatable or not?
There are several methods for correcting vision in children. With timely identification of the problem and the beginning of the use of conservative treatment methods, vision is compensated, but astigmatism does not completely disappear.
Correction of astigmatism for children:
- Wearing glasses is widespread. Children are prescribed special glasses with cylindrical lenses for constant wear. During the first days, during the process of getting used to it, the child may complain of unpleasant sensations and headaches, but then they go away. If complaints do not go away within 2 weeks, consult a doctor; the glasses may be chosen incorrectly. This is the simplest and cheapest method, however, many children refuse to wear glasses; they interfere with sports activities and limit peripheral vision.
- Correction with contact lenses allows you to avoid the disadvantages of spectacle correction, promotes improved vision and the proper development of visual centers. This method is not suitable for young children, since they cannot insert lenses into their eyes themselves; if adults try to insert them, they can damage the cornea of the eye.
- Surgical correction is not used until the child reaches 18 years of age; only by this time does vision stabilize and the development of visual organs stops. For children under 18 years of age, surgery is prescribed in extreme cases.
Glasses and lenses allow you to correct vision so that visual functions can develop correctly. They usually work well to correct nearsighted or farsighted astigmatism.
Important! The pathology can only be completely corrected through surgery.
After prescribing glasses to the child and adapting to them, a check is carried out by an ophthalmologist; if visual improvements are not observed, hardware treatment (pleoptics) may be prescribed. Two to three courses of treatment usually help restore vision. If astigmatism is detected in a child, a vision test should be carried out at least 4 times a year.
Eye training
For myopia and farsightedness, different exercises are prescribed. It is recommended to supplement all exercises with soft and frequent blinking.
Gymnastics for children's eyes:
- Look into the distance, extend your finger at a distance of 30 cm from your eyes. Focus on it, then on an object located in the distance. Repeat 10 times.
- Write out shapes and the alphabet in the air with open eyes.
- Close your eyes tightly, then open your eyes (repeat 5-7 times).
- Extend your hand forward, focus your gaze on your index finger. Slowly bring your hand closer to your face, without leaving your finger until it begins to double. Do several repetitions.
- Close your eyes and massage them with light pressure with your thumbs.
- Sit with your eyes closed (just let them relax).
Doing eye exercises is also useful for preventing the development of vision problems.
Preventive measures
It is impossible to avoid the manifestations of congenital pathology, but it is possible to prevent the development of the acquired form.
How to carry out prevention:
- ensure proper lighting in the house;
- alternate visual and physical activity (allow the child to take breaks during school lessons and homework);
- perform eye exercises;
- massage the eyelids;
- Healthy food;
- protect eyes from injury and infection;
- Have an annual examination with an ophthalmologist.
Vision is very important for a person. When a child sees well, he can study normally and play sports without experiencing discomfort. Wearing glasses can be a real tragedy for a teenager. Be attentive to children, listen to complaints, take care of their health in advance.
The most important human organ is the eyes. Vision pathology, especially hypermetropic astigmatism in children, significantly reduces the child’s quality of life. He does not perceive the picture exactly as on paper, he sees objects in a completely different position. What is this...
Astigmatism often occurs at an early age, so it is very important to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist in time and have an astigmatism test done. Eye disease is detected during a routine examination, instruments for detecting myopia and...
