Keep an Eye on it: Children’s Eye Health and Safety Tips

While August may be filled with back-to-school activities and squeezing out every minute of swimming season, it’s also a month dedicated to promoting Children’s Eye Health and Safety. 

Krupa Patel, O.D. (AZCOPT), Assistant Professor, Eye Institute – Glendale, explains the importance of taking care of children’s eyes and how parents can ensure the safety of their children’s vision.

What are the most common issues you see when treating pediatric patients?

Pediatric patients can have conditions of varying levels of severity, ranging from simple refractive error that can be easily resolved with a pair of glasses to sight, or even life-threatening conditions that can require immediate attention. Some of the more common conditions found in the pediatric population include refractive error, visual skill deficits (including eye tracking, eye focusing, eye teaming, and visual information processing), amblyopia, strabismus, conjunctivitis, and hordeolums.

How is the MWU Eye Institute equipped to treat these issues?

MWU Eye Institute is fully equipped to treat these conditions. With providers that are experts in the field, access to the latest technology, and involvement in current research studies, the pediatric population is very well served here. MWU is unique in that optometrists and ophthalmologists come together to best manage complex cases. Being a part of a teaching institution allows MWU Eye Institute to provide very thorough and specialized care to the pediatric population.

What are some warning signs parents can be on the lookout for?

Parents play a very important role in identifying potential vision concerns. Parents can pay close attention to any complaints of not being able to see the board at school, words jumping around, or headaches while children are reading. Parents can also look for signs of frequent eye rubbing, squinting, or bringing things very close to them to see. These signs and symptoms can indicate an underlying issue that needs to be further investigated through an eye exam.

When is it time to make an appointment with a specialist vs. a pediatrician?

Pediatricians perform very basic vision screenings that should not be misinterpreted as comprehensive eye examinations. The vision screenings can be very helpful but can often overlook problems or suggest problems that are not present. All types of screenings can produce false negatives and false positives, so it is important to schedule a comprehensive eye examination with an optometrist for a thorough evaluation.

What can be expected for the child and the parents when attending a pediatric optometry appointment?

A comprehensive pediatric optometry appointment consists of a variety of testing. Providers incorporate different techniques to ensure that the child is engaged. The child’s visual acuity, eye movements, visual field, ocular alignment, refractive error, ocular health, and more are evaluated during a pediatric optometry examination. Dilation allows a full evaluation of the health of the back of the eye which can act as a window into the rest of the body and is thus recommended at baseline visits and generally every one to two years moving forward.

How often do you recommend children get their eyes checked?

It is important for children to have their eyes checked regularly, just like adults. There is an American Optometric Association (AOA) program called InfantSEE that covers the cost of an eye exam for infants between the ages of 6 to 12 months. This visit can screen for any abnormalities and indicate whether or not the infant needs to be monitored more closely. We especially recommend that children have a comprehensive eye exam before they start school to ensure they have the vision and visual skills needed to allow them to reach their full potential in school. If everything is found to be normal up to this point, then they can continue to come in every one to two years.

Are there any red flags that parents should be on the lookout for when searching for a pediatric optometrist/ophthalmologist?

It is important for parents to always ask the provider any and all questions they have regarding their child’s eyes and vision.

How can parents encourage their children to keep their eyes safe?

Parents can be very helpful in encouraging their children to keep their eyes safe. Spending time outdoors can help decrease the chances of developing nearsightedness, along with maintaining a good working distance while doing near activities like coloring or writing. Additionally, looking away about 20 feet every 20 minutes for 20 seconds is something we call the 20/20/20 rule, which can be helpful in providing the eyes with a break while performing strenuous near work, like reading. 

Technology and devices can be so captivating that we often forget to blink, which can lead to dryness, so reminding kids to actively blink while using phones or iPads is important, as well. 

Lastly, excessive UV can be harmful to both the front and back of eyes, so letting your children pick out a fun pair of sunglasses can help keep them motivated to protect their eyes.

What is your favorite part about treating pediatric patients?

I love examining pediatric patients because they are always so fun and brutally honest. Children challenge me to be creative and quick on my feet. Advocating for pediatric patients and being able to provide them with good vision and robust visual skills that can completely shift the trajectory of their lives is incredibly rewarding.

How long have you been in the profession? At MWU?

I recently completed a residency in Pediatric Optometry and Vision Therapy and am new to MWU. I am very excited to be at MWU because they foster a very positive learning environment that directly translates to exceptional patient care.