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Learning About Vision
September is Children's Eye Health and Safety Month
Vision problems affect 1 in 20 preschoolers and 1 in 4 school-aged children, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Infants should be screened for common eye problems during their regular pediatric appointments and vision testing should be conducted for all children starting at around three years of age.
Among the conditions an eye care professional will look for are amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid), color deficiency (color blindness) and refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism).
The most common causes of blindness among children are: congenital cataracts, retinopathy of prematurity and other complications caused by premature births. Children’s eyes must also be protected against injuries. Toys should be age appropriate and toys toys with sharp, protruding or projectile parts should be avoided. Older children who play sports should wear appropriate protective eyewear to protect against injury.
To learn more:
To schedule an eye exam for your child at the UIC Eye Center Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Clinic please call: (312) 996-6599, or (312) 996-8450
To learn more about the UIC Eye Center Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Clinic click here.
Special Feature: UIC Retinoblastoma Group
Retinoblastoma is a childhood cancer arising from immature retinal cells in one or both eyes and can strike from the time a child is in the womb up to five years of age. At UIC, Dr. Michael Shapiro heads an interdisciplinary Retinoblastoma Treatment Group. Click here to learn more.
Check out these fun and informative pages devoted to Learning About Vision!
