Visual impairment in babies recognize in time

The treatment of vision problems in infants should begin as early as possible

17/10/2014

Even babies can suffer from poor eyesight. Pediatricians therefore advise early check-ups when, for example, a three-month-old infant can not follow an object with his eyes or can hardly keep eye contact. There is an increased risk of vision problems for children born prematurely.

Lack of eye contact in babies may indicate vision problems
For example, if babies have poor eyesight, they may experience skewed head posture, lack of light, lack of eye contact, or frequent blinking and eye drifting. Parents can also use a toy in hand to test whether the child follows the movements of the object with his eyes. If this is not the case with a three-month-old baby, poor eyesight could be the cause. From the third month of life, a child should also be able to maintain a constant, good eye contact with the parents.

There is an increased risk of vision problems with prematurely born babies and children from families with eye diseases and blurred vision. Ulrich Fegeler from the Professional Association of Children and Youth Physicians (BVKJ) emphasizes in an interview with the news agency „dpa“, how important it is to correct a vision defect as early as possible. Because the sooner the child can see better, the better his vision can develop.

Squinting can be a warning sign of poor eyesight
Many children squint in infancy. Most of the time this is just a temporary disturbance of the eyes. If the squinting is still visible after six months, parents should consult a pediatrician. Among the more common disorders is the so-called amblyopia, in which one eye sees worse than the other or switched, so that it is partially excluded by the brain when learning to see. However, this ametropia can usually be corrected in childhood by wearing an eye patch on the intact eye or glasses.

Much rarer is a tumor in the retina cause of a visual disturbance. This is recognizable on photos made with flash, if instead of red appearing pupils, white, yellow or orange are to be seen with the child. This may be an indication of the so-called retinablastoma. Even if babies have very large eyes or a cloudy cornea, parents should consult a doctor.

In case of suspected low vision of the baby, consult a pediatrician
According to the BVKJ, every tenth child in Germany sees bad. Sixty percent of childhood vision defects are diagnosed too late, resulting in lifelong visual impairment. Therefore, parents should consult with the pediatrician at the first sign of ametropia.

Initial eye tests are routinely performed in children 12 months of age as part of the U6 exam. Only at the U7, when the children are already three years old, more accurate tests. Fegeler advises to put the examination appointments in the morning, because the children are then still fit. If vision problems are detected in the U-tests taking place at the pediatrician, further examinations and treatment should be made with the ophthalmologist. (Ag)