Symptoms of eye disease in children. Treatment and prevention

Diseases often occur in childhood, because the immune system not fully formed and cannot fully protect the body from pathologies. If you experience anxiety symptoms, you should immediately contact a medical specialist. It is important to diagnose any eye disease in children in a timely manner. If you do not start the right treatment, you may experience Negative consequences up to blindness.

Eye diseases in children

As already mentioned, various pathologies often appear in childhood, and some of them are congenital. Regardless of the cause of the appearance, it is important to consult an ophthalmologist in order to improve the well-being of a minor. You can name the most common diseases in schoolchildren that require medical intervention.

1. Myopia. This is a visual impairment in which a person can only see objects that are nearby. Often, the deviation develops between the ages of 8 and 14, which is associated with excessive eye strain, as well as with active growth. The patient will have to wear glasses equipped with divergent lenses.
2. Hypermetropia. A minor can only see objects that are far away. Close objects appear blurry. Mostly the deviation appears before the age of 10 years. Symptoms include headaches and eye fatigue. To improve the condition, a person has to wear glasses with plus lenses.
3. Strabismus. In children, one or both eyes deviate from normal fixation currents. That is, they will not look in the same direction. The disease appears due to a unilateral decrease in visual function, nerve damage and refractive error. For strabismus, surgery is often prescribed, which is often performed between the ages of 3 and 5 years.
4. Astigmatism. The patient suffers from distortion of objects that are located at any distance. The disease is corrected with the help of glasses with cylindrical glasses.
5. Amblyopia. There is a decrease in vision in the eye that is not used due to deviation to the side. Gaps may appear if initially one side sees worse. Treatment requires training the affected organ to improve its function.

Children have other eye diseases, and some of them can be quickly eliminated. For example, it is easy to overcome conjunctivitis, which appears due to viruses, bacteria and allergens. In this case, the eye will turn red, itching will appear, as well as a burning sensation. The disease appears at any age, while therapy is prescribed depending on the cause of the disease.

Another common problem is barley. With it, a purulent abscess is observed in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe century. The affected area itches, hurts and burns. The temperature may rise slightly. Pathology is provoked by bacteria, as well as staphylococci. At the first symptoms, a compress is applied to the problem area, after which you need to consult a doctor. Antibacterial drops and ointments are often prescribed for therapy.

Eye diseases in newborns

In newborns, doctors can detect a disease that requires immediate treatment. Often, a congenital cataract is diagnosed, in which the pupil has a grayish tint, and the field of vision is reduced. A cloudy lens prevents the light from fully penetrating into the eye. To eliminate the problem, an operation is prescribed, after which the child is assigned contact lenses or glasses that replace the removed lens.

There is also congenital glaucoma, in which intraocular pressure increases. Because of this, the outflow of aqueous humor is disturbed. Due to the increased pressure, the eye membrane stretches, the organ increases in size, and the cornea becomes cloudy. The optic nerve gradually atrophies and eventually blindness appears. The patient is shown the use of drops, and in some cases surgery.

Retinopathy is another common condition that occurs in premature babies. The normal growth of retinal vessels stops, while pathological processes develop, and fibrous tissue is formed. The organ itself undergoes scarring and gradually exfoliates, because of which a person begins to see poorly. The problem can be eliminated with the help of surgical or laser intervention.

Nystagmus is an involuntary movement of the eyes, which in most cases occurs in a horizontal direction. The patient cannot fix his gaze, which is why there is no clarity of vision. You can get rid of the problem by correcting this violation.

With ptosis in children, drooping of the upper eyelid is observed, which is provoked by the underdevelopment of the muscle that should raise this area. A similar condition also occurs due to damage to the nerve that controls the muscle. Due to the omission, the light cannot fully penetrate the inside of the eye, and therefore the person must undergo treatment, thanks to which it will be possible to give the eyelid the correct position. Surgery is indicated at the age of 3 to 7 years. In addition, a special adhesive plaster is used for therapy, which fixes the organ in the correct position.

Eye diseases in a child: symptoms, causes, treatment, signs

When different eye diseases appear in children, it is important to immediately pay attention to their symptoms. To do this, parents should be aware of the warning signs, the appearance of which will definitely require treatment. For example, there is dry eye syndrome, in which the cornea and conjunctiva are not sufficiently hydrated. Even 50 years ago, this syndrome was a problem only for adults, but now it is also observed in preschoolers.

Their characteristic manifestations you can note:

1. Feeling of burning and cutting.
2. Increased photophobia, which makes it unpleasant for the child to be in rooms with bright light and on the street.
3. Constant feeling of tired eyes.
4. Blurred vision.
5. The appearance of a capillary network in the protein area.

The therapy is carried out using special moisturizing drops, as well as gels. In this case, it is necessary to understand the reasons for this phenomenon. Perhaps the air in the room is too dry, the eyes are in constant voltage have an allergy or infection. The doctor may advise you to change lenses for glasses, humidify the air, and also begin to fight the underlying disease. Recommended for allergies antihistamines and it is also important not to come into contact with the allergen.

Uveitis is an inflammatory process that affects the iris and choroid. It occurs when bacteria appear. It often serves as a sign of rheumatism, infection, tuberculosis, arthritis and other severe pathologies.

Symptoms:

1. Increased lacrimation.
2. Intolerance to bright light.
3. Blurred vision.
4. Puffiness of the century.
5. Sharp and severe pain that occurs only in acute form.
6. Redness of the body.

On the early stage the doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, special drops. In advanced cases, injections are needed, which are performed in the lower eyelid area. As a last resort, an operation is performed.

There are other equally common pathologies:

1. Halazion. Inflammation of the cartilage occurs due to blockage sebaceous gland. The visual organ swells, turns red, and a neoplasm in the form of a pea appears on the skin. Mostly the disease appears at the age of 5 to 10 years. For treatment, drops, massage and warming are used.
2. Daltonism. There is a lack of color cones in the eye area. Different colors may not be recognized, because it all depends on what exactly is missing. It is diagnosed in boys, while the feature is most often congenital.
3. Blepharitis. It is observed in preschoolers, and with it, an inflammatory process of the eyelid is observed from the edge. This is explained by thin skin and lack of fat. Pathology is often confused with chalazion and barley, since the symptoms are similar. The child will complain of pain, itching and swelling in the affected area. The pathological process is provoked by viruses, mites and bacteria. The treatment regimen is determined depending on what exactly led to the development of the disease.

Parents themselves cannot make a diagnosis, as this is done exclusively by a medical specialist. The child will have to undergo a series of examinations, as well as, if necessary, pass tests. Based on the results of the procedures carried out, it is possible to draw a conclusion about how the minor feels. As soon as an accurate diagnosis is established, you can proceed to therapy.

Drawing conclusions

Some parents do not listen to the complaints of the child, which is why the disease progresses. Even if the signs of the disease cannot be noticed during a visual examination, in any case, you should consult a doctor. Perhaps the disease is latent, and it can only be detected during a professional examination.

Any ailment is much easier to cure if it is at an early stage of development. Some diseases can be detected even in newborns, as they do not depend on age. It is important to remember that self-medication is dangerous to health, because with the wrong choice of drugs and therapeutic measures, health can deteriorate. Only a doctor should monitor the child and prescribe specific medications for the treatment and prevention of the disease.

Signs of eye disease detected during a traditional consultative examination

Diagnostics eye diseases, like any other pathologies, begins with the collection of patient complaints. There are certain combinations of symptoms that allow you to make a preliminary diagnosis. eye diseases based solely on patient complaints. So, for example, a combination of such symptoms as morning gluing of the eyelids, copious discharge from the conjunctival cavity and redness of the eye without reducing its function indicate acute conjunctivitis. A triad of symptoms is characteristic of corneal lesions - severe lacrimation, painful spasm of the eyelids and photophobia.

However, in many cases, this kind of combination is also non-specific, like individual symptoms. In particular, complaints of blurred visual fields combined with a gradual painless decrease in visual function may indicate diseases of such different nature as cataracts, open-angle glaucoma, atrophy optic nerve and etc.

Therefore, diagnostic search for eye diseases can be quite difficult and require the use of special equipment. To save time, money and nerves, it is better for the patient to prepare for visiting an ophthalmologistby preparing answers to the most popular questions, such as:
1. When the symptoms of eye disease first appeared (in cases where the pathology develops gradually, it is often not so easy to remember the first minor symptoms - quickly appearing eye fatigue, flies before the eyes, gluing of the eyelids in the morning, etc.);
2. What measures were taken to eliminate unpleasant symptoms, and was there an improvement;
3. Did any of the relatives suffer from eye diseases or diseases associated with the eyes (hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, increased thyroid function, etc.);
4. Is the patient's work related to occupational hazards in terms of vision;
5. What eye diseases and eye surgeries have been transferred.

After a detailed collection of information, the ophthalmologist proceeds to examine the patient. Inspection begins with a healthy eye. In cases where both eyes are affected by the pathological process, they traditionally start with the right one.

The doctor pays attention to the mobility of the eyes, the state of the palpebral fissure, the position of the eyelids, then, slightly pulling the lower eyelid, examines the mucous membrane of the conjunctival cavity.

A standard examination aimed at identifying eye diseases is carried out in daylight. Consultation with an ophthalmologist, as a rule, includes the well-known procedure for determining visual acuity using special tables (Golovin-Sivtsev table or children's visometric tables). If necessary, more complex methods of examination are prescribed.

What methods do ophthalmologists use when diagnosing eye diseases?

Most patients, after undergoing a traditional examination-consultation with an ophthalmologist, receive only preliminary diagnoses of eye diseases, to clarify which it is necessary to carry out one or another additional methods examinations, in particular:

• biomicroscopy (study of the optical media of eye tissues, such as the cornea, iris, anterior chamber of the eye, vitreous body, using a slit lamp);
• gonioscopy (examination of the angle of the anterior chamber of the eye, formed by the inner surface of the cornea and outer surface iris and ciliary body);
• study of intraocular pressure;
• assessment of the sensitivity of the cornea (carried out in the "old-fashioned" way by gently touching a cotton swab to the surface of the membrane covering the pupil in the center and four places along the periphery);
• conifocal intravital microscopy of the cornea (examination of corneal tissues using a specially adapted microscope);
• studies of tear production and tear drainage, which determine the uniformity of the distribution of tears, the total amount of tear fluid production, the patency of the lacrimal ducts;
• diaphanoscopy and transillumination of the eye (widely used for penetrating wounds and tumor processes of the eye, assessment of the state of the internal structures and membranes of the eyeball using diaphanoscopes that direct light through the sclera (diaphanoscopy) or the cornea (transillumination of the eye));
• ophthalmoscopy (standard method of objective examination of the fundus);
• study of the central and peripheral fields of vision (study of the light sensitivity of the retina by establishing the boundaries of the fields of view and determining the usefulness of vision (absence / presence of blind spots in the field of view));
• study of color vision which is carried out using special device anomaloscope, or/and special color charts and tests;
• assessment of binocular vision (friendly work of the eyes), which is used in professional selection (pilots, drivers, etc.), scheduled examinations, as well as in the pathology of the oculomotor apparatus (strabismus, professional ophthalmopathy, etc.);
• ultrasound examination of the eye;
• fluorescein angiography of the eye fundus, which allows you to examine in detail the state of the choroid of the eye by introducing a special substance fluorescein into the blood;
• optical coherence tomography (OCT) – modern way studies of the optical structures of the eye, which allows obtaining information at the microscopic level;
• Heidelberg retinal tomography, which uses laser scanning to obtain ultra-precise information about the condition of the optic nerve head and the retina as a whole;
• laser polarimetry is the latest method of objective examination of the state of the optic nerve head;
• electrophysiological methods, which are the study of the activity of the visual analyzer based on changes in bioelectric potentials that occur in the cells of the cerebral cortex in response to light stimulation of the retina.

Treatment of eye diseases

How can eye diseases be treated in humans?
Treatment of eye diseases with folk remedies and methods
official medicine (surgical,
physiotherapy, medicine)

The main methods of official medicine are surgical and conservative. As a rule, surgical intervention is resorted to in cases where a reliable and stable result is obtained using conservative therapy impossible.

Primarily surgical treatment birth defects development of the eye, correct age-related changes (surgery to replace the lens for cataracts, surgical treatment senile ptosis, inversion and eversion of the eyelids), restore the normal circulation of intraocular fluid in glaucoma, eliminate many malignant tumors, etc.

However, most eye diseases can and should be treated without resorting to a scalpel. So the need for surgery in many cases indicates untimely intervention or inadequate treatment of pathology (infectious eye diseases, "eye" complications of diabetes, etc.).

The main methods of conservative treatment of eye diseases are medication and physiotherapy. The medical method is understood as the treatment of eye diseases with the help of local medicines (special eye drops and ointments) and, much less often, general action (drugs for oral administration and injections). Physiotherapy treatment is a fight against the disease with the help of physical factors (heat, electric current, magnetic field, etc.).

Modern medicine allows and welcomes the use of so-called folk remedies (beaver stream, honey, etc.) complex treatment eye diseases. However, they should be used on the recommendation and under the supervision of the attending ophthalmologist.

What are the drugs for the treatment of eye diseases

All drugs for the treatment of eye diseases are divided into seven large groups according to their purpose and principle of action.

Anti-infective medicines used to treat inflammatory processes caused by exposure to microorganisms. This large group of drugs includes the following types of drugs:

• Antiseptics or disinfectants are drugs that do not penetrate into the inner layers of the skin and mucous membranes, but have a powerful local anti-infective and anti-inflammatory effect. The most popular are Vitabact eye drops, combined preparations containing boric acid, silver salts, etc.;
• Antibiotics - substances biological origin, as well as their synthetic analogues, which have a pronounced antimicrobial effect. For the treatment of infectious eye diseases, antibiotics from the group of chloramphenicol (eye drops levomycetin 0.25%), aminoglycosides (eye drops tobramycin (Tobrex)) and the latest antibiotics are most often used. broad action fluoroquinolones (eye drops Tsipromed (ciprofloxacin)).
• Sulfonamides are one of the groups of chemotherapy drugs that are effective against most types of bacterial infection. In ophthalmic practice, sulfonamides are represented by such a well-known drug as eye drops Albucid (sulfacyl sodium).
• As antifungal drugs for the treatment of eye diseases, as a rule, drugs intended for oral administration (Nystatin tablets, etc.) are used.
• Antiviral drugs used to treat eye diseases are divided into antiviral chemotherapeutic agents that directly eliminate viruses (for example, 3% Acyclovir ointment) and immune drugs that activate the body's defenses (drug for intramuscular injection Cycloferon).

Anti-inflammatory drugs are typically used to treat non-infectious inflammatory eye conditions. It is also possible to use drugs of this group for protracted infections in combination with anti-infective therapy.

At the same time, a distinction is made between steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, dexamethasone drops, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as eye drops containing a 0.1% solution of diclofenac sodium.

In addition, there are combined drugs with anti-infective and anti-inflammatory effects. Such drugs include Sofradex, Tobradex and Maxitrol drops, which are successfully used in infectious and inflammatory eye diseases with an allergic component.

Antiallergic drugs are intended for the treatment of eye diseases of allergic origin and include medicines from several groups. First of all, these are the so-called membrane-stabilizing drugs that prevent the release of inflammatory mediators from mast cells responsible for the development of the allergic process (Lekrolin and Ketatifen eye drops).

Dacryocystitis is an inflammation of the lacrimal sac, a special cavity for collecting lacrimal fluid located at the inner corner of the eye.

The lacrimal fluid performs the most important function, protecting the mucous membranes of the organ of vision from drying out and the development of dangerous infectious and degenerative eye diseases. Tears are produced by a specialized lacrimal gland located in the upper lateral part of the orbit.

The lacrimal fluid is evenly distributed in the cavity of the conjunctiva, while excess tears are removed through the lacrimal canaliculus, the mouths of which open on the conjunctiva of the inner corner of the eye below.

Through the lacrimal ducts, the lacrimal fluid enters the lacrimal sac, which ends blindly from above, and downwards passes into the nasolacrimal canal, which opens into the nasal cavity.

During prenatal development the opening of the nasolacrimal canal is closed, so that normally it opens with the first loud cry of the newborn. In cases where the thin film that blocks the nasolacrimal canal remains intact, there is a real threat of developing dacryocystitis in newborns.

The fact is that tear fluid is good nutrient medium for microorganisms that begin to multiply intensively in a crowded lacrimal sac, causing an inflammatory reaction.

Symptoms of dacryocystitis in newborns are in many ways reminiscent of signs of conjunctivitis: the affected eye begins to fester, there is increased lacrimation, and cilia may stick together in the morning.

To suspect dacryocystitis in newborns will help such characteristic symptom as a lesion of only one eye and an increased amount of tears in the conjunctival sac.

Finally, you can verify the presence of inflammation in the lacrimal sac by slightly pressing on the area of ​​​​its projection (the lateral surface of the nose at the inner corner of the eye) - at the same time, droplets of pus and / or blood will appear from the lacrimal openings, which are the mouths of the lacrimal ducts.

Neonatal dacryocystitis is a infectious diseases eyes that should not be treated with antimicrobials. After all, purulent inflammation is only a consequence of pathological obstruction of the nasolacrimal canal.

So the most adequate treatment for dacryocystitis in newborns is to massage the lacrimal sac, which helps open the nasolacrimal canal. This is a simple procedure, the video of which can be easily found on the Internet. With clean hands, the mother gently presses on the projection of the lacrimal sac from top to bottom.

In the vast majority of cases, with the help of regularly repeated simple manipulations, it is possible to get rid of the film that covers the mouth of the nasolacrimal canal. As soon as the lacrimal fluid stops accumulating in the lacrimal sac, the infectious process is spontaneously eliminated.

In cases where a weekly course of lacrimal sac massage does not lead to success, the patency of the nasolacrimal canal is restored by surgical methods (probing and washing the lacrimal ducts, which is performed under general anesthesia).

Eye diseases in premature babies. Retinopathy (pathology of the retina) of premature babies: causes, symptoms, treatment

The main problem of premature babies is the immaturity of all body systems, as well as the need for many resuscitation measures that save the life of the baby, but can have an adverse effect on its further development.

A typical eye disease of those born ahead of time children is retinopathy of prematurity - a severe pathology, often leading to irreparable loss of vision.

The immediate cause of retinopathy of prematurity is the immaturity of the vasculature of the retina - the inner shell of the eyeball, responsible for the actual light perception.

The vascular network of the retina begins to develop only at the 17th week of development. At the same time, by the 34th week of pregnancy (the gestational age is calculated from the first day of the last menstruation), the formation of vessels located at the nasal part of the retina is completed, so that the optic disc and macula (the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe retina responsible for the best vision) are already normally supplied with blood, however, the temporal part the retina is still extremely poor in blood vessels. Fully formation of retinal vessels ends only by the last - 40th week of gestation.

If a child is born prematurely, many unfavorable external and internal factors begin to affect his still immature retina, which can cause the main manifestation of retinopathy of prematurity - a violation of the normal formation of retinal vessels, expressed in their germination inward into the vitreous body of the eye.

As a result, hemorrhages form in the vitreous body, and pathological tension of the retina by improperly growing vessels leads to its local or even complete detachment, ruptures, and other irreversible changes.

Retinopathy of prematurity as an eye disease of varying severity develops in 76% of children born at 24-25 weeks of gestation, and in 54% of children born at 26-27 weeks of gestation. At the same time, retinopathy of prematurity, threatening retinal detachment, occurs in 5% of children born at terms up to 32 weeks of pregnancy, and the risk of developing this formidable complication in children born at 24-25 weeks reaches 30%.

It should be noted that retinopathy of prematurity also occurs in children born at term. This happens when it comes to an immature fetus and / or exposure to extremely aggressive factors in the first hours and days of life.

• born at less than 32 weeks of gestation;
• born at any time with a weight of less than 1500 g;
• born at a gestational age of 32 to 36 weeks and receiving oxygen for more than 3 days;
• all premature infants with episodes of complete apnea (lack of breathing requiring emergency resuscitation).

During this eye disease, three periods are distinguished:
1. Active(about six months), when abnormal development of blood vessels occurs, hemorrhages occur in the vitreous body, as well as detachment, detachment and ruptures of the retina.
2. reverse development (second half of life), when there is a partial, and in mild cases, a complete restoration of the functions of the retina and vitreous body.
3. Cicatricial period or a period of residual manifestations, which can be judged a year after birth. The most common complications of retinopathy of prematurity are:

• cicatricial changes after ruptures and retinal detachment;
• moderate or high myopia;
• clouding and / or displacement of the lens;
• glaucoma (increased intraocular pressure);
• subatrophy of the eyeballs;
• corneal dystrophy with the subsequent formation of a walleye.

Specific prevention of retinopathy of prematurity has not been developed to date. All at-risk infants at the 5th week of life (but not earlier than at the 44th week of the estimated gestation) undergo an examination of the fundus.

In the event of a real threat of retinal detachment, ruptures or tears in this eye disease, either cryotherapy (cauterization of germinating vessels with cold) is performed, which can reduce the risk of irreversible blindness by half, or laser therapy (laser exposure to abnormal vessels), which is just as effective, but significantly less painful.

What to do with dacryocystitis in a child - video

Prevention of eye diseases in adults and children

Primary and secondary prevention of eye diseases in humans

There are primary and secondary prevention of eye diseases in children and adults. At the same time, primary prevention is aimed at preventing the development of eye diseases, and includes a set of hygienic and health-improving measures (observance of the correct work and rest regimen, the use of special exercises for the eyes, reducing the time for eye-tiring activities, the use of protection factors in the presence of occupational hazards, etc. .).

Secondary prevention is a measure taken for the timely detection and treatment of eye pathology (scheduled examinations by an ophthalmologist, refusal of self-treatment, strict adherence to all doctor's prescriptions). Thus, if primary prevention is powerless, adequate treatment of a timely detected pathology allows avoiding serious consequences for the organ of vision and the body as a whole.

Prevention of eye diseases in children

Primary prevention of eye diseases in children primarily includes occupational and rest hygiene during all activities that require eye strain (reading, writing, drawing, working at a computer, playing with small details of designers, etc.).

It is necessary to observe the daily routine so that children's eyes rest well during sleep. Rational lighting and teaching the child the rules of reading and writing hygiene will help protect against eye diseases.

Many children like to read while lying down, as well as while riding in transport, often using material on electronic media for this, which puts a significant strain on the organs of vision. Parents should warn offspring that such behavior, as well as the use of material with small print and poor contrast, can lead to the development of serious eye diseases.

The hygiene of school classes provides for sufficiently long breaks between lessons, during which it is strongly recommended to provide complete rest to the eyes. After attending school, children should walk outdoors or indoors, and do homework only after a sufficient break (at least 2 hours).

Many parents ask when watching TV and using a computer can pose a risk of eye disease. It all depends on the overall load on the organ of vision. Of course, if a student is forced to spend a lot of time with textbooks, it is better for him to choose another type of entertainment (active games, sports sections, walks, etc.).

Secondary prevention of eye diseases in children consists in the timely passage of scheduled examinations by an ophthalmologist and the timely application for specialized medical care when any warning signs from the organ of vision.

Prevention of eye diseases in adults. How to prevent the development of eye disease from the computer

Everyone knows that scientific and technological progress has not only led to tremendous advances in medicine, but also caused the emergence of many diseases, including eye diseases.

The most common eye disease associated with the new conditions of human life is a computer syndrome, manifested by the following symptoms:

• eye fatigue;
• feeling of "sand" in the eyes;
• soreness of the eyeballs;
• pain when moving the eyes;
• eye redness;
• color vision disorders;
• slow refocusing of the eyes from distant objects to near ones and vice versa;
• the appearance of blurred vision, doubling of objects, headache during prolonged work with a computer.

The main reason for the development of computer syndrome is a violation of hygiene rules that protect the organ of vision. Therefore, in order to protect yourself from such an eye disease, it is enough just to follow all the simple requirements.
1. If the work is connected with a long stay at the computer, it is necessary to spare the eyes during off-hours. For example, instead of reading, you can listen to audio books, and learn the news from radio programs. Need to drastically reduce visit time social networks, reading forums, etc. It should be noted that "sedentary" work generally adversely affects health, therefore, in the list of entertainment, it is better to replace a computer and TV with outdoor walks, going to the pool or a trip to the country.
2. While working at the computer, you should observe the alternation of work and rest: 10 minutes break every 50 minutes of work.
3. It is advisable to complete every 20 minutes of work with a 20-second break for elementary gymnastics for the eyes (fixing the gaze on objects located at a distance of 6 meters and further from the monitor).
4. In the presence of eye diseases such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism, you should work at the computer with glasses or corrective lenses.
5. The optimal distance to the display (80 cm) should be observed, while it is desirable that the center of the screen be 10-20 cm below eye level.
6. Use high-resolution screens when using your computer regularly.
7. In order to choose the ideal working font size, it is necessary to empirically determine the minimum readable font size. The working size should be three times larger. The best type of text is black and white. Avoid dark backgrounds whenever possible.
8. Watch out for lighting, do not work near bright light sources, flickering lamps. In bright natural light, it is better to curtain the window, and cover the table surface with a matte material.

Prevention of eye diseases

Before use, you should consult with a specialist.

Children in Lately suffer from serious illnesses. Pathologies that cannot be prevented are especially often manifested. Violation of visual functions leads to serious diseases. The article will tell you which eye diseases in children (photos and names are attached) are the most common.

Basically, newborns and preschoolers are at risk. Why? Infants may experience delays in proper development. Some preschoolers are not able to prepare for the learning process. Older children may experience lower academic performance and self-esteem. They refuse to attend sports and choose a profession they do not like. With the right diagnosis, many ailments are treatable. We will talk about the name of eye diseases in children of infectious and viral adventures below.

Causes

Eye diseases in children occur against the background of certain factors:

• Congenital diseases: the presence of a genetic predisposition in the development of the eyes, infections that develop in the womb, lack of vitamins, negative environment.
• Factors affecting vision: inflammation of the fundus, allergic reactions to a specific irritant, infections on the membrane of the eyes, burns or injuries, severe strain on the visual apparatus, dark lighting in the room, or regular computer use.

To correct visual impairment, consultation with an experienced ophthalmologist is necessary. The specialist identifies the type of disease and prescribes a specific treatment. Eye diseases can lead to serious complications. The child is threatened with severe headaches, impaired visual function, pathological enlargement of the fundus. As a result, the child may lose their sight.

It is worth highlighting chalazion - an eye disease in a child, which is characterized by the appearance of a benign growth. Its causes are blockage of the duct and the presence of infectious diseases.

Symptoms

Children's eye diseases are characterized by certain symptoms. The appearance of itching, swelling, white discharge from the eye area indicates initial manifestations conjunctivitis. This disease is often found in newborns. There are varieties of conjunctivitis that differ from each other in certain symptoms. The allergic process is formed against the background of external stimuli. Allergens in this case are dust, plants and chemicals.

Viral inflammation is characterized by redness of the eyeball, swelling, regular tearing. The virus provokes infections of various origins. Bacterial conjunctivitis occurs when microbes get on the tissue that covers the eye area. As a result, purulent discharge and redness are observed in children. Infants show white discharge on the eyelashes, redness of the eyes, and swelling of the eyelids. Inflammation is caused by bacteria or various mechanical damage. Regular tearing, copious discharge may indicate the presence of inflammation of the sac of the inner eye.

Myopia

Specialists often encounter myopia in childhood. Usually children are born with this pathology. Especially if loved ones suffer from this disease. As a result, the child acquires a similar disease. Symptoms appear at any time. Diseases are most often detected during the period of schooling. At this time, healthy children are prone to the appearance of false myopia. The lack of preventive measures and proper treatment can lead to the formation of a serious pathology. If the child cannot detect objects at a long distance, then this indicates the appearance of children's myopia.

Many children do not realize that they have started to have vision problems. The main symptom is squinting of the eyes when approaching a certain object closely. Regular symptoms can only be seen in educational institutions. Children constantly complain of headache, discomfort and severe fatigue. It is especially difficult for them to focus on a particular subject.

Visual functions in childhood develop up to 8 years. It is during this period that it is important to detect violations of the visual apparatus. These include nearsightedness and farsightedness. You should pick up certain glasses that can stop the development of the disease. Otherwise, such violations of visual functions will lead to loss of vision. Children at preschool age should be examined regularly by an ophthalmologist. During the examination, the specialist will record a decrease in vision, conduct a special study and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Strabismus

Strabismus is a congenital eye disease in children, a change in the position of the eyes. The visual axes diverge on a certain subject. In appearance, it is noticeable that the eye deviates incorrectly in a specific direction. Strabismus is a serious problem for many children. The visual perception of the child is immediately disturbed. Pathology is observed often in early childhood. The presence of the disease in infancy indicates a congenital pathology. The occurrence of the disease in preschool age indicates the factors that led to the appearance of this disease. Babies develop strabismus before the age of 4 years. Violation of the visual axis is considered only as strabismus.

Often the disease develops against the background of farsightedness of the baby. During this period, he poorly recognizes objects that are near him. Violation of the retina leads to the appearance of this pathology. In children, the images are distorted, and the picture is presented in a blurry form. With strabismus, visual acuity decreases. Complications are caused by a violation visual system. The transmission of information to the brain, which is remembered by the impaired eye, is blocked. A similar condition causes mental deviation, and strabismus increases.

Amblyopia

Amblyopia is a congenital eye disease in children characterized by impairment of one eye. Basically, it develops against the background of turning off the brain or suppressing the vision of one eye. It manifests itself in chronic strabismus or in the presence of myopia, hyperopia. Instantly blocks vision in one eye. About 6% of children suffer from a similar disease. Treatment is always successful before the age of 6 years. At an older age, there is little chance of restoring vision. For a complete diagnosis of the disease, it is necessary to undergo a complete diagnosis.

Eye infections in childhood

Blepharitis is a serious inflammation that affects the upper and lower eyelids. The reasons are long-term exposure to chemicals in the eye area. simple form disease is a redness of the eyelids that do not violate the tissue of the fundus. Inflammatory processes are accompanied by minimal edema. The eyelids at this moment begin to blink strongly. Movement causes purulent discharge from the eyes. characterized by profuse swelling and severe redness around the eyelids. On the eyelids appear grayish scales that look like dandruff. When removing neoplasms, the skin begins to bleed slightly. The patient experiences severe itching in the eyelids. There are pain in the fundus and when blinking.

The ulcerative form of the disease is a serious illness. The condition of children during this period worsens. The main symptom is dried pus on the eyelashes. Crusts form that stick the eyelashes together. It is impossible to delete them. When you touch the skin, pain is felt. After removing the crusts, minor ulcers remain. At proper treatment healing is slow. Recovery is only partial. During this period, eyelashes stop active growth and fall out.

Inflammation of the optic canal

Optic nerve disease is a serious inflammatory process that occurs within the ocular portion of the optic canal. The main reason is the penetration of infections into the organs of vision caused by meningitis, sinusitis or chronic otitis media. In rare cases, inflammation develops on the basis of allergic reactions or chemical poisoning. The severity of patients is characterized by the reasons that influenced the appearance of this pathology. Usually potent toxins affect the optic nerve instantly. The consequences of this situation are irreversible. Infectious processes develop over three days.

Main features inflammatory process ophthalmic nerve is a decrease in vision for no particular reason. The perception of colors is impaired. When examining the optic canal, changes in the optic nerve, edema, blurred outlines, and swelling of the optic arteries are observed. With advanced inflammation, the disease progresses instantly. There is profuse swelling in the optic nerve. After a while, there is a combination with all tissues. In rare cases, minor retinal hemorrhage and clouding of the eyeball are diagnosed. In the presence of a mild form of inflammation, vision is completely restored. Regularly carry out procedures that increase immunity. Treatment is based on antibiotics.

Purulent infections

Viral eye diseases in children are caused by pathogenic microorganisms. They penetrate into the fundus of the eye and multiply. In rare cases, the cause is an eye injury. There are several types of this disease. Iridocyclitis appears within 2 days after an eye injury. It is impossible to touch the eye due to severe pain. The iris has a grayish tint, and the pupil becomes gray. Endophthalmitis is a severe form of the disease that occurs with serious inflammatory processes in the eye area. The pain syndrome is felt even in a calm state. Examination reveals dilated blood vessels yellow eye fundus.

A purulent complication has a special concept - panophthalmitis. It occurs only in rare cases. With proper antibiotic treatment, this disease can be prevented. To prevent loss of vision, you need to seek help from a specialist. The disease of this type extends to the entire fundus of the eye. There is a sharp pain, swelling of the eyelids occurs, the mucous membrane has profuse redness and noticeably swells. Pus accumulates throughout the mucous membrane. The skin around the eyes turns red. Painful sensations are intense. In a severe form of the disease, surgical intervention is necessary. With a positively performed operation, vision is not fully restored.

Diagnostics

Eye disease in a child is determined by the doctor only after a complete diagnosis. At the first examination, all information about the patient is collected. Spend comprehensive inspection fundus using specialized equipment. To establish an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination. Carefully check the intraocular pressure. Using a slit lamp, examine the cornea, iris, vitreous body and anterior chamber of the eye. Examine the corneal tissue using a microscope. Examine the sensitivity of the retina to light. The vascular membrane of the eye is studied by intravenous administration of a special medication. The state of the optic nerve disc is scanned with a laser.

Treatment

Treatment depends on what eye diseases the child has. Medical preparations It is not recommended to purchase on your own. Only a qualified doctor can prescribe them. The specialist selects funds taking into account important factors. It reveals the general symptoms of the patient, his age and the presence of diseases in the body. In addition to the main drugs, drugs are additionally prescribed that prevent the violation of the intestinal microflora and preserve the natural gastric mucosa.

Many parents stop giving medication to their child after the symptoms in the eye area disappear. Doing so is not recommended. Bacteria are not destroyed during this period. After taking the medicine, they subside for a certain time. You should drink the full course of antibiotics prescribed by the doctor. Many antibiotics cause allergic reactions. When using any drug, you need to monitor your well-being.

The human body is fragile and balanced. The smallest violations can lead to serious consequences. Treatment of eye diseases in children with antibiotics can adversely affect internal organs person. Antibiotics have special benefits in eliminating eye diseases. Preparations can be for internal and external use. Potent substances are found in ointments, gels, lotions, creams. They remove purulent inflammation and infections of various origins in a few days. They have a serious effect on the body. Allows you to get rid of viral diseases and infections.

For the treatment of eye diseases in premature babies, special therapy is prescribed. It includes the treatment of the skin from the outside and the use of antibacterial agents inside. "Doxycycline" is an antibiotic of the tetracycline group. Actively fights against unwanted microorganisms. Tablets should be taken after meals. You need to drink the medicine with a huge amount of water. You can take no more than 50 mg of the drug per day. The course of treatment is from 1.5 to 3 months.

"Penicillin" perfectly copes with various types of diseases. Available in the form of tablets, solution and dragee. The medicine has bactericidal actions, eliminates inflammatory processes, removes the formed pus from the surface of the skin. The dosage is selected individually, taking into account the general condition of the patient. The interval between taking the tablets should be 8 hours.

Ospamox is a popular antibiotic for the treatment of eye diseases in newborns, which fights infections and inflammation in the body. It is used to eliminate inflammatory processes in the fundus. The drug treats infectious diseases mucous membrane of the skin. Most children tolerate it calmly and without complications. In some cases, it can cause allergic reactions, disruption of the intestinal microflora and sudden emotional irritation. It all depends on the individual intolerance of a particular component. All medicines should be taken as prescribed by the doctor. Otherwise, irreversible reactions may occur.

Prevention

In order to prevent eye diseases in a child, the following measures are taken:

• To preserve a child's good eyesight, at school, several times a year, he should be transplanted to different desks so that his eyes do not get used to looking at the blackboard from only one angle.
• The optimal time for playing on a PC or tablet, as well as watching TV shows without compromising the visual apparatus of the child, is one and a half hours a day, and for preschool children, 30 minutes.
• Parents also need to make sure that their baby leads active image life and practiced instructional sports.
• Be sure to include in the child's diet foods rich in vitamins needed for vision.

An effective remedy for restoring vision without surgery and doctors, recommended by our readers!

Eye organs are important elements in the human body. If they get sick, this is a clear sign that there is a problem that needs therapy. are in the smallest patients, therefore it is necessary to develop special tactics for treating the eyes of children, which will allow you to feel much better after just a few days of use.

Features of the treatment process of the eyes in children

Eye diseases in children have in their extensive list a large number of pathological processes that arise in connection with psychological, physiological and anatomical factors, therefore, the methods of treatment vary and vary. Some tactics are based on the use of the therapeutic process through medication, and some of them involve the need for surgery or in children. In young patients, many doctors note the effect after the use of hardware therapy.

Causes of eye pathologies in children

The disease is provoked by certain causative factors:

• neglect of the rules of eye hygiene while reading or studying;
• long stay at the computer or watching TV;
• hereditary factors suggesting the presence of diseases in parents;
• injuries and other mechanical damage;
• abuse of certain groups of drugs.

Determining the causative factor that caused the disease is half the success in the therapeutic process.

What diseases most often affect children

No matter how hard parents try to protect the child from external dangers, eye diseases still manifest themselves. But there are pathologies that are most common in young patients, so there is a “beaten track” in terms of therapy that facilitates the recovery process.

Conjunctivitis

This eye disease in children involves an inflammatory process in the conjunctiva, which is a thin eye membrane that covers the eye protein and the inner surface of the eyelids. called this pathology the action of a bacterial or viral infectious nature, most often the formation occurs as a result of a cold process. A disease of the visual organ of this type is determined in children at any age. The eyes turn red, the flow of tears is observed, a greenish tint appears.

Barley

This eye disease in children is most common, since there are the greatest number of conditions that can cause it. During the course of this pathology, redness is observed in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe eyelid, a slight swelling is detected on it, an abscess appears at its top. The entire inflammatory process is accompanied by a sensation of itching, pain, and an increase in body temperature. The development of this disease can occur in children at any age. Eye treatment in children is determined strictly by the attending physician.

halazion

This pathology in children is expressed by the fact that the sebaceous gland is clogged, and its subsequent inflammation starts. Most often, the disease acts as a damaging factor in children of the preschool age category. The problem can form in the upper or lower eyelid area, sometimes it affects both eyes. The disease can act as an independent disease, although sometimes it manifests itself against the background of other processes. Symptoms, swelling and redness of the mucous membrane. The treatment of this eye disease in children should be determined by the doctor.

Myopia

This is another serious disease affecting the child. Pathology implies a disturbed process in the functioning of vision, while due to an increase in the size of the eye, rays converge in front of the retina, which entails the formation of an insufficiently clear image. Most often, pathology affects people of school age due to a significant load on the visual system. Treatment of eye pathology in children should be thorough.

macular degeneration

It's over rare disease compared with other ailments, however, degenerative processes are hereditary ailments that manifest themselves in the preschool age period. Since the disappearance of central vision, a gradual progression of this pathology has been observed. With an instant glance at the light source, the child may complain of unpleasant pain, and during the diagnostic complex, it is likely to notice brown spots at the bottom of the eye. 100% treatment of this eye disease in children cannot be carried out.

Destructive process in the vitreous body

The term DST is a disease that implies clouding in the region of the fibers that make up the vitreous body of the apple of the eye. This violation occurs in the observation in the field of view of various images, the movement of which is carried out immediately after the eye movement. In the common people, this process was called "flies in front of the eyes." Treatment of such an eye disease should be discussed with a specialist.

Astigmatism

This disease also occurs in children of preschool and school age. During the course of this pathological process, the phenomenon of visual impairment occurs, which implies the refraction of rays in a perpendicular plane, as a result of which a distorted image is formed in the retina. If the difference in refractive power is large, the contours of objects are blurred. Treatment involves the use of glasses to compensate for the difference in refractive power.

All methods of treating eye diseases in children

Traditional medicines for the treatment of eye diseases in children

Therapy of eye pathologies in children is extensive and multifaceted, it includes the ingestion of anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as other means, depending on the causative factor and the nature of the inflammatory process. In addition to internal preparations, antibacterial and antiviral drops, antihistamine groups, ointments and drip formulations are often used. Choice of final medicinal composition depends on the location and nature of the lesion, so self-treatment of the eyes in children can lead to negative consequences.

Hardware methods of therapy

Children's eye diseases can be treated through the use of hardware methods associated with the impact on the site of the lesion of special devices. The use of this method makes it possible to strengthen vision and its subsequent improvement, while there is no need to resort to surgical intervention. There are several recommendations in the presence of which the use of this tactic is recommended:

• strabismus, suggesting abnormal problems with a violation of the parallelism of the axes of vision;
• lazy eye syndrome - a situation in which there is a deterioration in the visual function of the secondary plan;
• problems with binocular vision - they are caused by a violation of the ability to clearly distinguish objects by both visual organs;
• other congenital and acquired pathologies in a child caused by problems with vision and its functioning - myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, asthenopia.

Traditionally, such therapy is carried out in courses, it is necessary to conduct sessions in the amount of 5-10 pieces. This type of treatment involves several methods, selected individually for each infant (baby) and adult child. The therapy is carried out without contact, so it can be easily and simply transferred even by small children.

Preventive actions

In order to prevent eye diseases and get rid of the need to find a method for their treatment in children, it is necessary to instill only good habits from birth.

• In order to prevent infection, you need to be hands with soap;
• On a regular basis, provide an increase in immunity in children;
• With the penetration of foci of pathology, it is important to deal with their timely elimination;
• If minimal inflammatory signs are observed, this is an occasion to consult a doctor;
• Timely diagnosis is a significant part of the success of treatment;
• Nutrition should contain the maximum amount of vitamins;
• It is necessary to limit the time spent by the child at the computer;
• Regular exercise of the eyes will improve the general condition.

It is worth understanding that the lion's share diseases can be cured exclusively in childhood, so it is necessary to contact a specialist in a timely manner and tell him everything about the general picture of the disease.

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7-06-2010, 21:26

Description

At the appointment with an ophthalmologist

Pediatric ophthalmologist(from the Greek "ophthalmos" - eye) deals with the assessment of the state of the organ of vision and its functions in children. Often referred to as an eye doctor ophthalmologist- from the Latin word "oculus".

Many defects organ of vision, disturbing adults, arise in childhood, often the cause eye diseases found in early age and sometimes even before birth.

Parents often turn to ophthalmologist to find out if everything is in order with the eyes of their child, which may mean certain signs.

A number of such questions can decide on your own if you know fundamentals of the structure and function of the child's eyes, pay attention to unusual external signs of the structure of the eye, redness of the eyes, white color of the pupil area, etc.

But with diseases of the fundus, eye injuries, you must consult a doctor.

Fundamentals of the structure and function of the eyes

Eye It is shaped like a table tennis ball.

From the outside, only the anterior part of the eyeball is visible. This is a transparent section of the outer (fibrous) shell, called the cornea, and triangular white areas of the opaque section of the same shell - the sclera.

Through cornea the vascular membrane, located deeper than the outer one, is visible, more precisely, its beautiful front part - the iris, which for each person has an individual pattern and color.

There is a round hole in the center of the iris pupil. The posterior sections of the outer and choroid are not visible. Most of the choroid, in the depths of the eyeball, is lined by the inner shell - the retina.

The space between the cornea and the iris (anterior chamber) is occupied by transparent aqueous humor. Behind the iris is the lens - a biconvex biological magnifying lens that has the size of a pea. The main volume inside the eye is filled with a transparent colorless gelatinous vitreous body.

The eyeball is often simplistically compared to a camera. Like the body of a camera, the sclera gives it shape and protects what is inside this fragile device.

Cornea, as the front lens in the lens condenser, collects light rays into a beam, the choroid acts as a diaphragm.

The horizontal section of the eyeball and, like a cassette, protects the "holy of holies" of the eye from excess light - the retina, which can be compared to an extremely sensitive photographic film.

Horizontal section of the eyeball

The proverb says: Take care of your eyes like a diamond».

The diamond is stored in a box, placing soft foam rubber under it. Such a protective case for eyeball serves as a bone cavity - the orbit, lined with fatty tissue.

Each eyeball is suspended in the orbit on six muscles, the contraction of which simultaneously turns both eyes towards the object in question. In front, the eye socket is covered with skin-muscle folds - the upper and lower eyelids. Eyebrows grow above the upper eyelids, preventing moisture from rolling off the forehead. At the edges of the eyelids are eyelashes and glandular outlets. The visible anterior sclera and the posterior surface of the eyelids are covered with conjunctiva, a thin mucous membrane, just as in the mouth the gums and lips are under a thin transparent mucous membrane.

Eye constantly moistened by numerous small inconspicuous lacrimal glands of the conjunctiva. Tears with profuse flow and when crying also produce a large lacrimal gland located under the upper outer edge of the orbit.

Tears roll down to the inner commissure of the eyelids. Near the inner corner of each eyelid is the lacrimal punctum, which begins the lacrimal canaliculus, which flows into the lacrimal sac. Further, the lacrimal ducts open into the nasal cavity, where the tear eventually flows. Therefore, when a person cries, he begins to "squish his nose."

If there are a lot of tears, they do not have time to get into the nose and flow down the cheeks.

Work eyes in the act of seeing resembles the function of a microphone when recording sound.

The hardest journey is just beginning with the retina visual perception, in which further optic nerves take part, partially crossing each other (this formation is called chiasma), visual pathways in the brain tissues, subcortical visual centers and bundles leading from them to the spur groove of the occipital lobe of the brain - the cortical center of the visual analyzer. It is in this place of the cerebral cortex that the final perception of what we see is formed.

Lacrimal organs

Visual acuity and its definition

One of basic functions of the eye - visual acuity, or the ability to recognize the smallest objects at the maximum distance.

It is considered that a person who can count the fingers on his hand from a distance of 50 m sees well. The angle between the retina and the sides of the finger has a width of 1 minute. This ability - to see at an angle of view equal to 1 minute - is called a unit (1.0), or, as they sometimes say very simply, one hundred percent vision.

When viewing objects at the same distance visual acuity the higher, the smaller objects can be considered. That is, visual acuity is the higher, the greater the distance a person can see objects of the same size.

Typically, visual acuity tests are placed at a distance of 5 m. The most commonly used table for this purpose is Sivtseva-Golovina. If we consider it from a distance of 5 m, then visual acuity equal to one corresponds to a clear vision of the tenth line from the top.

If a person sees signs of only the first line, this corresponds to vision reduced by 10 times, that is, 0.1.

When determined according to the Sivtsev-Golovin table from a five-meter distance, visual acuity when seeing each subsequent row of letters is 0.1 higher.

So, if a child distinguishes only the letters of the third row, his visual acuity is 0.3. In the tables, instead of letters, there may be rings of different sizes with a gap, by the distinction of which one judges visual acuity.

For examination of children who do not know the letter, it is widespread. Before determining the vision of such a child, you should bring him to the table and check whether he names the drawings correctly. It must be taken into account that the attention of children is quickly depleted.

Visual functions of children's eyes have a long maturation period.

For children of three years visual acuity of 0.2-0.3 can be considered normal.

For four year olds it is equal to 0.6.

And by the time school enrollment visual acuity the child reaches 0.7-0.8.

If the child is not able to distinguish the first line of the table from a distance of 5 m, that is, his vision is less than 0.1, then you should show him fingers from different distances.

The ability to count fingers from a distance of every meter is regarded as 0.02: counts fingers from one meter - 0.02, from two - 0.04, from three - 0.06, from four - 0.08. If the child does not have object vision and he is not able to distinguish between fingers, but only sees a hand near his face, his visual acuity is 0.001.

If the child does not even distinguish light, his vision is zero (0), but if there is light perception, visual acuity is regarded as 1.

How to determine if a baby sees?

To do this, you need to check whether his pupil reacts to the bright light of an electric flashlight directed at him.

Aged one month the child usually follows objects moving at a distance of 20-40 cm from his eyes. TO three to four months he already sees objects more distant from him, and in four-six months, the baby visually reacts to familiar faces. If the baby does not see what other children of his age see, parents should show him pediatric ophthalmologist y.

When the vision of each eye is checked separately, the other eye must be covered.

uneven response to turning off the right and left eyes means the difference in their visual acuity.

Important, but not the only condition good vision is the need for the rays coming from objects to connect exactly on the retina. This is possible if the length of the eye and the power of its optics - refraction - correspond. The proportionality of the length and optics of the eye is called emmetropia, disproportion - ametropia.

If the eye is small or the optics are weak, parallel rays will converge only behind the retina, and the image on it will be blurry. The closer to such an eye the object observed by him, the rays from it converge farther from the retina and the worse a person with weak refraction sees. Since he sees distant objects better than close ones, he is called far-sighted.

Some eye length too high or its refractive power optics too strong, so parallel rays from distant objects will converge in the eye before reaching the retina. Only divergent rays from nearby objects can gather on the retina.

Therefore, such refraction called myopia- myopia. To compensate for vision with myopia, to part the rays and make refraction weaker, “minus” glasses placed in front of the eye can. With farsightedness on the retina, rays that had a converging direction even before they hit the eye could connect. But in nature there are no such rays.

Gathering rays can be created artificially - by placing a convex "plus" glass on the eye. The figure shows the change in the path of the rays when the glasses are in front of the eyes with different types of disproportionate refraction. The eye itself can to some extent change its refractive power when viewing objects at different distances. This is possible due to the fact that the curvature changes, and hence the refractive power of the lens.

The course of the rays and the visibility of the observed object at different distances from the eye

This adaptation (focusing) of the eye to vision at different distances is called accommodation.

If a child sees badly far-lying objects, and when minus glasses are placed in front of the eye, his vision improves, he probably myopic.

farsighted the child, thanks to the tension of his accommodation, copes with distance vision more often. But looking at close objects for a long time, he can quickly get tired, since his accommodation is not enough to reduce very divergent rays on the retina.

If, when a child looks into the distance, a convex glass is attached to the eye does not impair his vision, does not artificially create myopia, then the child is probably farsighted. In addition to such simple, but subjective methods Depending on the answers of the subject, there are also objective methods for determining refraction, which can only be used by a doctor.

Only an ophthalmologist can correctly determine refraction and answer the question of whether a child needs glasses.

Myopia

Myopia is not the same in terms of onset, degree of refraction enhancement, complications and prognosis for vision.

Doctors distinguish three types of myopia:

- usual school myopia,

congenital myopia,

myopic disease.

Most children suffer school myopia, which usually begins at a time when the child is still in the elementary grades of school. It increases slowly and rarely reaches high degrees by adulthood. Anatomical disorders of the eye in school myopia are either absent or very minor.

table lamp power of 60 V t, illuminating the workplace of the child, it is recommended to cover green lampshade.

In the class of a nearsighted child, it is desirable put on the middle row closer to the board.

Watching TV or using a computer is allowed no more than 1 hour per day. The monitor should not stand in front of a window that reflects on the screen.

An important role is played good nutrition, being outdoors at least 1.5 hours in a day.

Myopic children beneficial exercise, but acceptable for a nearsighted child physical activity only a doctor can determine. Depending on the degree of myopia, due to the high tension and the possibility of injury, a number of sports are contraindicated: boxing, wrestling, weightlifting.

Myopic children sometimes drugs are prescribed, which, according to a number of doctors, are designed to improve the nutrition of the eye and strengthen its membranes and blood vessels. However, even without active intervention in most children, the progression of school myopia slows down on its own and stops further by adulthood. Therefore, at the current level of medical science and practice, any very active intervention (especially surgical) in order to restore high vision in case of school myopia should be treated very carefully.

Sometimes myopia occurs from birth. This is the so-called congenital myopia. In such children, the degree of myopia is high and there are usually pronounced anatomical changes in the eye. The disease is diagnosed by the age of one to three years. It rarely progresses, that is, the degree of such myopia. Accommodation rarely increases with age.

Accommodation

At myopic disease the degree of myopia that began at any age increases very quickly. Glasses have to be changed more than once a year. At the same time, it is not possible to achieve satisfactory visual acuity even with strong corrective glasses. The doctor detects changes in the fundus early - symptoms of degenerative lesions of the retina and optic nerve.

If the rays cannot be collected at one point of the retina due to the fact that refraction at various sections eyes are not the same, refraction is called astigmatism. The image in such cases remains blurry when any spherical glasses are placed on the eye, and only cylindrical glasses can correct this defect.

Define refraction and assign the appropriate optical assistance difficult due to the fact that young people have very strong accommodation, that is, the lens, constantly changing its curvature, changes the refractive index.

With prolonged overvoltage child's accommodation(for example, with frequent viewing of small objects at a very close distance, reading in low light, and the like), a temporary increase in refraction occurs. This is an accommodation spasm, which is also called false myopia.

To determine what kind of refraction a child really has, he has to instilling drops of atropine into the palpebral fissures temporarily eliminating the possibility of accommodation. Having lost accommodation after instillation of atropine, the child may note that it has become worse to see at close range; the pupils of the child become wide and cease to narrow in the light. All these phenomena are not dangerous and soon pass. Sometimes, after instillation of atropine, the child's face may turn red.

To reduce the possibility of this phenomenon, the child should often drink water or milk.

Many children with disproportionate refraction have to use glasses.

Never buy glasses for children without a doctor's prescription!

It is very important to choose comfortable eyeglass frame so that the child experiences less discomfort when wearing glasses. It is important that the bridge of the frame matches the width of the bridge of the nose of the child, and the temples of the glasses hold them firmly on the face and do not press behind the ears.

The main part of the points- lenses. They can be made from glass or plastic. Plastic lenses are lighter in weight, they break less often, but they scratch much faster. Which lenses to prefer is not so important.

It is important that their plane in glasses is parallel to the corneas, and the optical centers of the lenses correspond to the centers of the pupils. And, of course, the lenses must be of the right strength.

Rules for using glasses

To keep glasses less damaged, they should be stored in a hard case.

Glasses should not be placed with the lenses down.

Periodically, glasses should be washed with warm water and soap and wiped with a special clean cloth.

Teenagers sometimes prefer vision correction with contact lenses. Caring for contact lenses for children is currently much more difficult than for glasses. Their use, individual storage and sterilization is taught by a doctor who has selected contact lenses of a certain company, he will also recommend care products for these lenses.

Eye diseases

Strabismus

Strabismus- this is the non-parallel position of the eyeballs when looking into the distance. This is one of the most common causes parental concerns.

false impression strabismus in an infant up to a year may arise due to the oblique direction of its palpebral fissures. To make a preliminary diagnosis, you can direct the light of a flashlight into the child's face: in the absence of strabismus, the reflection will be symmetrically located on the black background of the pupils of the right and left eyes.

The true strabismus- not only a cosmetic defect, but a violation of health.

Cause of strabismus- a disorder in the coordinated activity of the muscles of the right and left eyes. The basis of inconsistency can be both structural disorders of the muscles themselves and disorders of nervous regulation. joint activities these muscles. Therefore, such a child should be consulted with an ophthalmologist and a neurologist as soon as possible.

If the cause is not related to neurological problems, the strabismus will be corrected by ophthalmologist. It will determine whether the right and left eyes transmit the same image to the brain from one object, that is, whether there is full binocular vision. In case of violation of binocularity, the image can bifurcate, then the child's brain will try to turn his eyes so that a signal from the worst eye is not sent to him.

Therefore, with strabismus ophthalmologist First of all, he tries with glasses to make the visual acuity of each eye equally high. If glasses alone fail to improve the visual acuity of the worst eye (this is called amblyopia), the ophthalmologist forces the brain to develop an amblyopic eye by training.

In most cases, this is achieved with the help of a sticker or drops that temporarily turn off information from the better eye: the worse (amblyopic) eye, forced to work hard, increases its visual acuity. When the child's brain again begins to receive a double image, then by special exercises they are merged into a single stable three-dimensional image.

Treatment of strabismus- a task of several years, requiring very great efforts from both the child and his parents. Wearing glasses and eye exercises are often alternated surgical operation on the oculomotor muscles, then exercises for the eyes are again assigned.

Experts believe that with persistent treatment, binocular vision and the parallel position of the eyes can be restored in more than half of the children who mowed.

If the eye is outwardly not the same as everyone else

Examining their child, parents sometimes notice any unusual signs of eye structure in him.

Normal appearance of the eyes

The inner corner of the palpebral fissures can be covered by a fold of eyelid skin called epicanthus. This innocent crease is very common in newborns, and then, with the increase in the back of the nose, it usually disappears - by about one year of age. Sometimes it's just a cosmetic feature of some human races.

epicanthus

The absence of a section of the eyelid - a coloboma of the eyelid - requires a mandatory consultation with a doctor, since if the cornea is constantly left uncovered, it can dry out.

Upper right eyelid coloboma

Eyelid omission - eyelid ptosis and non-closure of the eyelid - lagophthalmos may be the result of injury nervous system child and require medical advice.

At the same time, newborn children do not open their eyes much, as they sleep almost constantly. In many healthy infants, the eyelids remain open during sleep - there is nothing to worry about.

Ptosis of the right upper eyelid

Lagophthalmos of the left eye

The edges of the eyelids and eyelashes can be wrapped to the side eyeball, it - inversion of the eyelids. Or, on the contrary, the mucous membrane of the eyelids and eyelashes are separated from the eye, this is eyelid eversion.

Such states usually not dangerous, but inversion of the eyelids can lead to scratching of the cornea with eyelashes, and eversion - to the drying of the mucosa. How much it is necessary to immediately intervene in these conditions, the doctor will decide.

Inversion of the lower left eyelid

Eversion of the upper right eyelid

Enlargement of the entire eyelid or parts of it may be called edema. With swelling, the skin of the eyelid shines; if the swelling is inflammatory, the skin turns red. Edema of the eyelids occurs quite easily and can quickly change its size. Why the edema occurred and what should be done in such cases, the doctor must decide.

Eyelid tumors are rare in children. They manifest themselves in the form of sedentary limited formations - dermoids, lymphangiomas.

Dermoid- dense benign formation near the corner of the eyelids.

Lymphangioma- a colorless elastic formation, it is usually indistinctly limited, deforms the palpebral fissure. Such formations grow slowly, the color of the skin over them does not change. The child should be seen by an ophthalmologist, as these benign tumors can be confused with other diseases that require active treatment.

Sometimes the child enlarged eyelid or its area has a pigment-altered color, this is a manifestation of a pigmented tumor - nevus. A timely consultation with a specialist will allow you to choose the right tactics - observation or active treatment.

Protrusion of the eyeball from the orbit- exophthalmos or retraction of the eye in it - enophthalmos occur due to a change in the volume of the contents of the orbit. An examination by a specialist will show how dangerous these changes are for the vision, and sometimes for the life of the child.

Sometimes child significant corneal diameter change.

Why are the sizes of the corneas changed, is this a decrease in the entire eye - microphthalmos or an increase in the entire eye - hydrophthalmos?

An increase in the size of the cornea in a child over 11 mm is often caused by an increase in intraocular pressure - pediatric glaucoma. This serious disease eye, leading to significant loss of vision, requires observation and treatment by an experienced ophthalmologist!

An ultrasound or modern X-ray examination allows you to accurately determine the size of the cornea and the entire eyeball.

Hydrophthalmos on the right

Microphthalmos on the right

Changing the shape of the pupils in a child may occur due to adhesions of the iris with the lens - synechia, and also be a manifestation of incomplete fusion of the embryonic fissure of the eye before birth - iris colobomas.

Sinekhin on the left eye

Sinekhin on the left eye

Red eyelids and eyes

Causes of eye redness and age can be different diseases.

Red staining of the skin of the eyelids of a newborn may be the result of subcutaneous hemorrhage that occurred during childbirth, as well as a benign tumor - hemangiomas. Usually, eyelid hemangioma gradually becomes paler with age, its size decreases, and it may disappear on its own. If such a spot increases, one should resort to surgical or radiation treatment.

In cases where child's eyelid skin before it was normal, and then turned red, you should think about inflammation of the skin - dermatitis caused by drugs, food allergies, and in adolescence and the use of cosmetics. If, in addition to redness, there is swelling, pain, movement disorders of the eyelid, then an inflammatory cause of the changes is likely. Swelling and redness of the skin of the eyelids may also be due to insect bites.

Inflammation of the edges of the eyelids - blepharitis- manifested by redness and thickening of the edges of the eyelids, scales on them, loss of eyelashes, a feeling of itching of the eyelids. The cause of this disease is inflammation of the glands located in the edge of the eyelids, which occurs with general diseases, carious teeth, hypoavitaminosis, and poor sanitary conditions. Children with blepharitis should be checked for worms. One of the most common causes of blepharitis is Demodex mites.

Uncorrected refractive errors can also be the source of this long-term, difficult-to-treat disease.

Blepharitis in both eyes

Barley- limited inflammation of one or two sebaceous glands of the eyelids. Point painful redness, swelling, then an abscess appear on the edge of the eyelids. Barley it can increase in volume and open on its own, it can dissolve on its own or turn into a rounded chronic low-inflammatory formation in the cartilage - hailstone.

With an increase in inflammation in barley, parotid and submandibular lymph nodes increase, body temperature rises, and the general condition of the child worsens.

Treatment consists in warming up the barley area with dry heat (hot water bottle, UHF), instillation of a 20% or 30% solution of sodium sulfacyl (albucid) into the palpebral fissure.

You can not squeeze barley or apply a compress and bandages on it!

The doctor may also prescribe a general anti-inflammatory treatment.

Barley on upper eyelid right eye

At increase in barley inflammation can go to the entire eyelid, it swells sharply, turns red. This eyelid abscess- a serious illness requiring medical attention.

Eye redness most often caused by inflammation of the mucous membrane covering the front of the eyeball and the back of the eyelids, - conjunctivitis. Along with redness, photophobia, lacrimation, mucopurulent discharge, a feeling of sand in the eyes are noted.

Conjunctivitis of both eyes (eyelids of the right eye turned out)

main cause of conjunctivitis- Irritation of the mucosa and infection. Conjunctivitis often accompanied by acute inflammation of the respiratory tract. Discharge from the palpebral fissures glues the eyelashes, swollen edges of the eyelids. First of all, you need to treat the general disease.

Conjunctivitis is usually treated as follows.

The eyes are freed from purulent discharge by washing the eyelids with a solution of "..."a or potassium permanganate (1:5000).

You can use strong tea leaves instead of these pharmaceuticals.

Drops with a solution of sulfonamides or antibiotics are instilled into the palpebral fissures every two hours.

Hands should be washed frequently with soap. Infection through common household items, towels, bedding from the mucous membrane of sore eyes can be transmitted to healthy ones, so the patient should have a separate towel.

At conjunctivitis cannot be blindfolded with a bandage, as this creates conditions for the rapid reproduction of microbes.

Usually conjunctivitis is cured within a week, however, a number of forms of this disease have their own characteristics of the course and duration.

At newborn picture of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye may occur at the age of 2-3 days due to infection with gonococci from the mother's birth canal. This disease is called gonoblenorrhea.

For gonorrheal conjunctivitis, in addition to redness of the mucous membrane of the eyelids and eyeballs, dense swelling of the eyelids and profuse bloody-purulent discharge are characteristic. Such swelling of the mucosa of the newborn is extremely dangerous, as it leads to malnutrition of the cornea, its ulceration and perforation.

As a result gonococci all membranes and environments of the eye can become infected. The result of gonorrheal inflammation of the eye can be blindness. In order to prevent such eye infections in an infant, immediately after birth, a 20% solution of sodium sulfacyl (albucid) is instilled into both palpebral fissures. With timely and proper treatment, the disease quickly passes.

However, in the event of conjunctivitis with difficult-to-remove films, diphtheria conjunctivitis should be considered. The patient should be hospitalized to be actively treated for this extremely life-threatening disease.

Chronic conjunctivitis occurs due to constant eye irritation from dust, allergies to the use of cosmetics, improper spectacle correction, dental diseases or gastrointestinal tract. In infants, purulent conjunctivitis can last a very long time if its mucous membrane is constantly infected with microbes from clogged tear ducts. This disease is called dacryocystitis.

Dacryocystitis on the left

Usually at birth the barrier in these ways resolves. If this does not happen, the tear does not find a way out and conditions are created for the development of infection.

The main symptom of dacryocystitis- the appearance of tears or pus from the lacrimal puncta with pressure on the area of ​​the lacrimal sac. To disinfect the mucosa, antimicrobial agents are instilled into the palpebral fissure. In the absence of a result from the daily repeated massage of the lacrimal ducts prescribed by the doctor, designed to push out the plug, they resort to surgical procedures.

Redness of the eye can be a manifestation of inflammation of the sclera - scleritis. In such cases, the redness is not very bright, painful, limited to a small area of ​​the sclera. Common causes of scleritis are allergies, acute or chronic infections.

Scleritis on the right eye

Inflammation of the cornea keratitis- a fairly common disease. Unlike conjunctivitis, redness in keratitis is most pronounced near the cornea. But a clear symptom of this disease - violation of the transparency of the cornea. Keratitis occurs more often as a consequence of conjunctivitis, caused by various microorganisms, allergens, injuries. The cause of keratitis can be many common diseases. Any keratitis should be treated by a doctor.

Keratitis of the right eye

Redness of the eyeball characteristic of diseases of the choroid of the eye. These diseases are called iritis, iridocyclitis, uveitis. Inflammatory diseases of the choroid are very dangerous, with them there is a significant decrease in visual functions.

Iritis of the right eye

White pupil color

Parents need to pay attention to child's pupils. Normally, the pupillary area is black in color, since through transparent optics, the deep sections of the eye appear black. But if there is something opaque in deep optical media, the color of the pupil appears light.

Cause of white pupil most often is cataract- clouding of the lens. It is clear that the child will be very difficult to see through a cloudy lens.

Causes of the disease. Cataract in children often occurs in the prenatal period due to hereditary causes or illness of the mother during pregnancy.

There is a high risk of cataracts in an unborn baby, if his mother had rubella during pregnancy.

The cause of clouding of the lens may be a metabolic disorder of the child. In this case, a baby born without eye pathology gradually becomes blind, and its pupils become gray. Therefore, it is desirable to show baby ophthalmologist.

Complete cataract of the right eye

Partial cataract of the right eye

Especially dangerous is the appearance of a light color of the pupil deep behind the iris. Parents may notice a white, gray or yellow glow of the pupil area at a certain turn of the child's eyes. In most cases, such a child also has poor vision.

This is a very formidable sign, it is necessary to immediately show the baby to an ophthalmologist, since this symptom in young children can be caused by a tumor of the retina - retinoblastoma. Such a malignant tumor is dangerous not only for the eye, but also for the life of the child. Retinoblastoma can be inherited.

Babies who were born prematurely with very low body weight (usually less than 2000 g) and received long-term inhaled oxygen during nursing may also experience white pupils.

Such a pathology retinopathy of prematurity, unlike retigyublastoma, is not life-threatening, but very dangerous for vision. If the disease is detected early (and it usually appears a month after birth), doctors make an attempt to treat it. Therefore, it is necessary to show a deeply premature baby often, at least once a month, to an eye doctor in order to detect the first signs of the disease as early as possible and begin treatment.

There are a number of diseases that, after a long course, sometimes manifest as a white pupil. This is retinal detachment and vitreous opacities caused by various reasons.

Diseases found in the fundus

Changes in depth of the eye very often nothing but a decrease in visual functions (acuity, visual field, color perception and light perception) do not manifest themselves and are not noticeable during external examination. But the cause of these disorders can often be determined only by a doctor at the fundus.

Therefore, an ophthalmologist always examines the bottom of the eyes of his patients (ophthalmoscopy). With ophthalmoscopy, a circle of the fundus area is visible. Its red color is due to the translucence of the red choroid through the colorless retina. Against this background is the disk - the end part of the optic nerve.

The tone is suitable for the disk like threads, retinal vessels. In the very center of the bottom there is a small depression - the central fossa. Her diseases lead to a significant drop in visual acuity.

Violations of the red color of the periphery of the bottom occur as a result of diseases of the deep parts of the eye or the whole organism. The bottom of the eye is the place where the doctor directly sees the nerve and blood vessels of his patient. Therefore, doctors of many specialties, when making a diagnosis for a child, are interested in the result of examining the fundus.

Eye injury

Injuries to the eyes of children are extremely dangerous. Eye injuries are easier to prevent than to cure. As a rule, eye injuries in children arise from the lack of proper attention from adults.

A strong blow with a blunt object to the eye area often leads to swelling and hemorrhage under the skin of the eyelids. Even when there is no visible violation of the integrity of the KOJR membranes, a child who has received such a contusion should be shown to a doctor. It may turn out that the bones of the orbit, the membranes and the contents of the eyeball are seriously damaged.

It is all the more dangerous when, when receiving a mechanical injury, the integrity of the skin of the eyelids, mucous membrane, sclera and cornea is violated - a wound.

Prevention of eye injuries

So that the baby does not injure the eyes with his own nails, they must be cut off in a timely manner.

When giving a toy to a child, you need to think about whether he can injure his eye with it. Items made of breakable materials that have sharp edges and corners often cause severe eye damage especially when placed in the hands of children. The toys sold usually say what age they are for. Toys such as ball-shooting pistols, slingshots, bows, and the like can cause great misfortune.

Needles, pins, nails, scissors, knives, forks and other piercing and cutting objects should be kept out of the reach of small children.

It is necessary to accustom the child to the fact that carpentry and turning work require certain general and personal means that protect the eyes from mechanical injury - screens, glasses.

mechanical injury it happens as a result of a foreign body entering the palpebral fissure: dust particles, pieces of coal, metal, fragments of an emery wheel.

Even a foreign body superficially lying in the palpebral fissure causes photophobia, lacrimation, constriction of the eyelids, sharp pain. It can be under the eyelid or on the cornea. It is not recommended to remove it yourself, as it can cause serious complications. If this happens, you should put a bandage on the eye and take the child to the doctor as soon as possible in a supine position.

Eye burns

Extremely dangerous eye burns.

Children get thermal burns, without parental supervision, using firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices, setting fire to flammable and explosive substances.

For any thermal burn the victim should be taken to the doctor as soon as possible.

Chemicals entering the eye can cause chemical burns. They also lead to very serious consequences.

Burns with alkali and acid cause damage to the tissues of the eye. When chemical burn you should immediately start flushing the eye with plenty of water for at least 5-10 minutes. On acid burn early neutralization with a soda solution works well, and for alkaline burns, it is advisable to start washing with citric or boric acid.

It happens that children get burned aniline dyes- aniline pencil lead, ink. In such cases, it is necessary to wash the eyes with tannins, such as strong tea.

Children love to watch the flash of electric welding. In this case, a radiation burn can occur, manifested by severe pain in the eyes, photophobia, and lacrimation. In this case, cold soaks help, and the symptoms usually disappear quickly on their own.

We must firmly grasp that with any burn of the child's eyes you need to see a doctor as soon as possible!

Even if you have no complaints about condition of the child's eyes However, it should be periodically shown to an ophthalmologist.