Astigmatism in children is not uncommon and is hereditary. The low degree of astigmatism in the majority of people remain undetected throughout life. Medium and high degrees of astigmatism can create serious problems for the child in the form of a backlog in the neuropsychological development and strabismus.
Astigmatism in children
Normally, the cornea is shaped like a sphere. This ensures the correct surface of the cornea focus light rays on the retina produces a clear image of the object (focus). With astigmatism, the cornea shape is broken, the curvature of the surface in two mutually perpendicular cross-sections are different. Light rays that form the image of an object as it passes through a cornea refract differently, and therefore the image is blurry.
Astigmatism can occur in children at any age, but most often a child is born with it already.
Astigmatism - a congenital curvature of the cornea or irregular shape of the lens. In children, mostly found in the corneal astigmatism. Because of the changed shape of the cornea refracts light, it is wrong and there is no focus on the retina, both in normal and in front of or behind it.
At irregular shape of the cornea can be a set of meridians along which a beam of light. But there are usually two main meridian - vertical and horizontal, are always located perpendicular to each other. As of these meridians identify different types of astigmatism. If the primary pathology is a vertical meridian, it is considered to be a direct astigmatism on the horizontal - reverse.
In addition, astigmatism in children can be nearsightedness, farsightedness or mixed. Nearsighted (myopic), astigmatism of the child, in turn, is divided into simple and complex. Simple myopic astigmatism
Myopic astigmatism - a combination of astigmatism and nearsightedness
It characterized by the fact that one of the main meridians of the eye has a normal index (its focus is on the retina), and the other is myopic (focus is in front of the retina). Astigmatism in children is characterized by a myopic refraction in the two principal meridians, but focuses are located at different distances from the retina (in front of her).
Hyperopia astigmatism in children (hyperopic astigmatism in children) also is of two types - simple and complex. Simple hyperopic astigmatism is one of the main meridians of the refraction of the eye is normal, and the other farsighted (focus is behind the retina). Difficult hyperopic astigmatism in children is characterized by far-sighted refraction in the two principal meridians, but focuses are located at different distances from the retina (for her).
Mixed astigmatism - a combination of myopic astigmatism in one main meridian on the other long-sighted. Astigmatism can be as in one eye, and both.
Causes
In most cases, astigmatism in children is hereditary. A feature of astigmatism in children is that it can manifest itself as soon Field of birth, and during the growth and development of the child. At present it is established that leads to the development of astigmatism in a school or adolescence. However, astigmatism and at this age is hereditary in nature, as many of the children can identify relatives with astigmatism.
The inherent feature of the structure of the cornea's not considered a disease - it's just a feature of the structure of the eye tissues, which further requires correction.
How is astigmatism in children
Astigmatism in children under one year are very common. Astigmatism in the newborn can match 1.0 - 2.0 D (diopter). Subsequently astigmatism
Astigmatism - lenses, glasses or surgery?
in infants and reduced astigmatism at the year-old child can already be 0.5 - 0.75 D. The small degree of astigmatism can be stored in a human life, while he does not notice any abnormalities in vision. This is called physiological astigmatism.
Sometimes children astigmatism can not only decrease, and progress, and the process can begin at any age - it is associated with the peculiarities of the physiological development of the child. And as is often the astigmatism in children under one year is developing simultaneously with nearsightedness, farsightedness, or squint, vision problems increase. Astigmatism may occur in adolescents - a risk factor contributing to its development, is hormonal changes.
If the child has astigmatism is not treated, over time, become familiar visual impairment and affect the state of the tissues of the body as a whole.
The result is a condition called amblyopia. Amblyopia (also called lazy eye) - a decrease in vision that can not be corrected with glasses or surgery - it is difficult to treat.
Symptoms
Symptoms of astigmatism in a child up to a year is hard to notice. A reference point for parents can serve as a family astigmatism and the appearance of more or less pronounced strabismus in children - children up to one year astigmatism often associated with strabismus.
Observant parents may notice the child of two - four years, he was badly distinguishes the individual items may not correctly identify their shape (round, oval, square, rectangular, triangular), while the other children this age can easily cope with this task. Attention is drawn to the fact that the child is not able to determine which object is on, and which is closer to him.
Children, after five or six years may already have certain complaints. They say that they see all the vague, fuzzy, distorted. But even in this age of the child does not understand what he sees not how everything, so most of the complaints of sight does not show. Poor vision makes such a child to tilt his head, squints to see better. Due to the tension in his eyes there may be headaches and eye fatigue. The eyes are often irritated and turn red.
Cheerleaders parents have frequent headaches, dizziness, especially when visual load. Especially all these symptoms intensified after the child goes to school, where the visual load will increase manifold. The child is difficult to focus the mind on the printed text. Because of headaches and blurred vision child will fall behind in school and, as a consequence, in the neuropsychological development.
At any age in the background uncorrected astigmatism can develop strabismus.
Treatment
Treatment of astigmatism in infants depends on its type, severity and age of the child. The main objective of treatment is to correct vision with glasses or lenses - this will avoid complications in the form of astigmatism, strabismus and amblyopia. Conservative treatment, stimulating all areas of the retina, have a positive impact on the eye. The vision of the children becomes more acute, decreases the degree of distortion of the image, which can reduce the power points, and sometimes even completely get rid of them.
Slight astigmatism of up to 0.5 D is not complicated myopia, hyperopia
Hyperopia - than it is fraught?
strabismus or normally does not require correction. But sometimes even that astigmatism can cause headaches in a child - in this case it is subject to correction.
Points for children with astigmatism are the most common method of correction. Used glasses with astigmatic (cylindrical and spherical) lens. The spherical component glasses needed to correct spherical refractive errors - nearsightedness or farsightedness. The cylindrical component of the points needed to properly refracted light beam and its focus was going to a single point. Vision in astigmatic glasses becomes crisp and clear.
The correction of astigmatism can be conducted by means of special toric contact lenses. Vision correction in this case is exactly the same as when using the points.
Today, in specialized stores you can buy toric contact lenses of different types, including day. One-day contact lenses today are considered most preferred for children, because it does not require any maintenance and can not serve as a source of infection.
If amblyopia astigmatism complicated, then it is much more difficult to treat. In this case, treatment is carried out strictly according to the individual plan. In accordance with the condition and the general state of the body of the child is assigned the complex treatment includes various methods of exposure.
Surgical treatment of astigmatism
Treatment of astigmatism - conservative or surgical?
Children are usually not carried out due to the fact that the formation of organs of vision may continue until adulthood.
Exercises with astigmatism in children
Gymnastics for the eyes of children with astigmatism are usually appointed by the doctor - the execution of certain movements is useful for different types of astigmatism. Examples of exercises for eyes with astigmatism:
- look into the distance, take your finger in front of him at a distance of 30 cm from the eye and fix it look, then translate the look at some distant object;
- eyes open "to write in the air numbers and letters;
- zazhmurivatsya strongly and then relax;
- closing his eyes, massage eyelids with your thumbs in a circular motion.
After carrying out a prescribed set of exercises you need to close your eyes and give them a rest.
How to treat astigmatism in a child? This question was answered only by a doctor.
Galina Romanenko
