Does my Child Need to See an Ophthalmologist?

A ophthalmologist is a medical specialist who deals solely with conditions of the eye. They are able to diagnose and treat a variety of eye diseases, as well as any conditions that need surgery. Ophthalmologists are one of the few eye doctor specialists that can perform both diagnostic and surgical work on a patient.

Pediatric Ophthalmology

As an eyecare provider, your ophthalmologist may decide to become even more specialized and take up the field of pediatric ophthalmology. Many eye doctors consider this to be a sub-category of the ophthalmology field because children tend to be extremely difficult when it comes to the eye exam. It also requires specialized study to be able to treat some of the developing conditions that can occur in children.

Should I Take My Child to a Pediatric Ophthalmologist?

The list of eye conditions that can occur early in a child’s life include lazy eye, strabismus (eyes that are not aligned with each other), and retinal bleeding. If these conditions are caught early in their development, then there are simple surgical procedures that can correct them. If these conditions are not caught during the childhood years trying to correct these issues later in life could require much more complicated surgery and proceedures.

Appointment Frequency

The best part about seeing a specialist like a pediatric ophthalmologist is that the doctor can let you know how often you should bring your child in for eye examinations. If the doctor feels that surgery may be required to fix a problem, then he may want to see your child on a regular basis. If the doctor does not see any problems developing, then he may tell you to bring the child in once a year, unless the child starts to show the symptoms of a pending issue.

A pediatric ophthalmologist is a specialist that your child should see at a very early age. This is a medical professional who will be able to diagnose and developmental problems, and correct them before they can affect your child later in his life.

Schedule Eye Exam

You can schedule an eye exam for your children at any Optical Solutions location. One of our optometrists will perform a series of tests to analyze your son or daughters eyesight.