Mass. doctor’s advice on children’s eye health: When to schedule exams
Mass. doctor’s advice on children’s eye health: When to schedule exams
Updated: 9:52 AM EDT Aug 10, 2024
JENNIFER RHONDELLA. THANK YOU KELLY ANN FIVE ON YOUR HEALTH THIS MORNING. KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON YOUR CHILD’S VISION. VERY IMPORTANT HERE WITH ADVICE IS DOCTOR MELANIE CASILLAS, A PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGIST AT MASS GENERAL FOR CHILDREN. GOOD MORNING DOCTOR. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. LET’S START WITH THE CALENDAR HERE. HOW OFTEN DO YOUR CHILDREN NEED AN EYE EXAM? THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. CERTAINLY WE NEED TO DETERMINE IF THERE’S ANY PROBLEM WITH VISION A VERY EARLY IN LIFE BECAUSE OF THIS CONCEPT CALLED THE CRITICAL PERIOD OF VISUAL DEVELOPMENT. SO EVEN FROM INFANCY, THE PEDIATRICIAN IS CHECKING AT WELL-BABY AND WELL-CHILD CHECKUPS. THE EYES AND IF THERE’S ANY CONCERN ON THE PEDIATRICIANS ASPECT, OR IF A PARENT HAS A CONCERN ABOUT SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE EYES, IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO REFER THE BAY, EVEN A BABY, TO TO SEE US FOR AN EXAM. BUT IN GENERAL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CHILDREN ARE GETTING SCREENED AT THE PEDIATRICIANS OFFICE AT THE SCHOOL AND THEN THEY WILL COME TO SEE US. IF THEY DON’T MEET CERTAIN GUIDELINES. AND THEN WE DO A COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAM. REMEMBER HAVING THAT AT SCHOOL. ARE YOU JUST CHECKING THE VISION OR LOOKING FOR OTHER ISSUES TO KNOW? WE DEFINITELY LOOK FOR OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS DROOPY EYELID. ANY PROBLEM WITH WHAT WE CALL THE RED REFLEX, WHICH COULD INDICATE A SERIOUS PROBLEM SUCH AS CATARACT OR EVEN A TUMOR IN THE EYE. SO WE DO A COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAM, INCLUDING DILATING THE PUPIL TO GET A FULL ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THE CHILD IS SEEING AND WHETHER THERE’S ANY EYE CONDITION THAT COULD BE REALLY SERIOUS OR EVEN LIFE THREATENING. AS YOU KNOW, MYOPIA OR NEARSIGHTEDNESS AFFECTS ABOUT 42% OF SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN. WHAT’S USUALLY THE FIRST SIGN THAT THERE’S A PROBLEM? YES. WITH MYOPIA OR NEARSIGHTEDNESS. ONE OF THE FIRST, UM, THINGS THAT A CHILD MAY, MAY DO IS SQUINT. SO THEY MAY SEEING, UM, SOMETHING THAT THEY’RE NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE. SO THEY’LL SQUINT THEIR EYES TO HELP SEE AND CLEAR UP THE IMAGE. UM, OFTEN CHILDREN MAY NOT WANT TO ADMIT THAT THEY CAN’T SEE, WELL, YOU KNOW, FAR AWAY. SO PARENTS HAVE TO BE ON GUARD TO LOOK FOR SUCH SIGNS AND SQUINTING WHEN THEY’RE TRYING TO SEE SOMETHING FAR AWAY. ONE LAST QUESTION AT WHAT AGE WOULD YOU SAY IT’S OKAY FOR A CHILD TO CHOOSE TO WEAR CONTACT LENSES INSTEAD OF GLASSES? YEAH, I DEFINITELY DO. I DON’T WANT TO GET INTO HOT WATER WITH PARENTS, SO I ALWAYS MAKE SURE AND SPEAK WITH THE PARENTS THAT IT REALLY IS A IS A DECISION THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE ABOUT WHETHER THEY FEEL THE CHILD CAN RESPONSIBLY PUT THE CONTACT LENS IN AND TAKE IT OUT AND HAVE GOOD HAND HYGIENE, BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT THEM TO DEVELOP AN INFECTION OF THE CORNEA, WHICH IS SERIOUS. TYPICALLY MIDDLE SCHOOL TO EARLY HIGH SCHOOL IS WHEN MOST CHILDREN, IF THEY’RE GOING TO CONSIDER CONTACT LENSES, WILL START TO DO THAT. BUT IF THERE IS A NEED FOR HAVING EARLIER CONTACT LENSES, SUCH AS FOR PLAYING SPORTS, THEY CAN EVEN GO IN EARLIER AS LONG AS THE PARENT FEELS THE CHILD IS RESPONSIBLE AND ABLE TO HANDLE THE THE CONTACT LENSES. OKAY, DOCTOR MELANIE CASILLAS, MASS GENERAL HOSPI
Mass. doctor’s advice on children’s eye health: When to schedule exams
Updated: 9:52 AM EDT Aug 10, 2024
A pediatric ophthalmologist at Mass General for Children is sharing advice on managing children’s vision health.Dr. Melanie Kazlas says it is crucial to assess vision early in life as children enter a critical period of visual development. Kazlas says pediatricians typically check vision during well-baby and well-child checkups. She says if there’s any concern from the pediatrician or the parents, it’s never too early to refer the child for an eye exam, even for a baby. Kazlas says regular screenings are done at the pediatrician’s office and at school, and if any issues are flagged, a comprehensive eye exam is conducted.According to Kazlas, during the exams, doctors are looking for issues beyond just vision. “We’re definitely looking for other issues, such as droopy eyelids or abnormalities in the red reflex, which could indicate serious problems like cataracts or even tumors,” Kazlas said. Kazlas says a comprehensive eye exam, including pupil dilation, allows doctors to assess the full scope of the child’s vision and detect any potentially serious or life-threatening conditions.
A pediatric ophthalmologist at Mass General for Children is sharing advice on managing children’s vision health.
Dr. Melanie Kazlas says it is crucial to assess vision early in life as children enter a critical period of visual development.
Kazlas says pediatricians typically check vision during well-baby and well-child checkups.
She says if there’s any concern from the pediatrician or the parents, it’s never too early to refer the child for an eye exam, even for a baby.
Kazlas says regular screenings are done at the pediatrician’s office and at school, and if any issues are flagged, a comprehensive eye exam is conducted.
According to Kazlas, during the exams, doctors are looking for issues beyond just vision.
“We’re definitely looking for other issues, such as droopy eyelids or abnormalities in the red reflex, which could indicate serious problems like cataracts or even tumors,” Kazlas said.
Kazlas says a comprehensive eye exam, including pupil dilation, allows doctors to assess the full scope of the child’s vision and detect any potentially serious or life-threatening conditions.
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