Causes of astigmatism in children

The reasons for the appearance of astigmatism in children, the symptoms of the disease, how to recognize the disease in time, vision correction for preschoolers

Among the common ophthalmological diseases in children, astigmatism is most often found – the visual focus displacement. The disease is characterized by the fact that the child sees the surrounding world «wrong», distorted.

Basically, this pathology is manifested in a tandem with myopia or hyperopia. These subspecies of the disease are respectively called myopic and hypermetropic astigmatism.

The etiology of the disease and its varieties

Healthy, normally functioning cornea has a smooth spherical surface and optical focus. People with normal vision rays of light, refracted in the optical system of the society, do not intersect and converge at one point. The surrounding items are visible clearly and as they actually.

In disruption, the rays are dissipated, creating several focuss at once. Image perception is distorted, since none of the focus is in the right axis. Basically, this occurs due to the wrong shape of the eye – the surface of the cornea is not spherical, but extended to any of the parties.

It is for this reason that the eye, looking to different from the center of the part, sees not the same. Most often an uneven cornea, however, a defect can be in a lens.

For this reason, such types of astigmatism are distinguished as: corneal and crystal. In addition, there are other types of this violation: simple, complex and mixed.

• Simple – low-sighted astigmatism in children or a shorter, but only one eye;
• Complicated – characterized by the same defects of view for both eyes;
• Mixed – characterized by the fact that one eye is nearlyruk, and the second is far-odd.

The difference in the strength of the very strong and weaker meridians characterizes the magnitude of the pathology in dioptia. It is worth noting that the improper refraction of light in the eye of a person is not uncommon.

According to the results of various studies, each fourth resident of the planet has the so-called «Physiological astigmatism», At the same time, the refractive difference is up to 0.5 diopters.

Such a phenomenon does not require treatment, any correction or constant wearing glasses, since this error is not even felt. However, if the difference indicators reach 1 diopter and above, then this is already called pathological astigmatism, which requires treatment. Three types of disease are distinguished:

• weak – maximum up to 3 diopters;
• medium – up to 6;
• strong – more than 6.

Causes of astigmatism in children

Astigmatism, as complex hypermetropic and mixed, most often in children manifests itself as a congenital disease, which is caused by genetic predisposition. However, this does not mean that from the very birth, the child sees badly.

In most cases, the disease does not give you to know about myself for long years, but may manifest yourself at any time.

The earlier a violation detects, the faster, it will be easier and more efficient to undergo a course of treatment, because the correction measures carried out in a timely manner will significantly reduce the burden on the system of view and, accordingly, they will prevent the risk of developing complications.

In addition, the violation may appear as a result of a failure when the cornea itself takes an irregular form, for example, after injury or surgery.

The most correct way to detect astigmatism in children is a professional inspection of an ophthalmologist. That is why it is necessary to undergo prophylactic examinations of the oculist at the age:

• in 4 months;
• in the first year;
• 3 years;
• 5 years;
• 6;
• 7-8 years;
• 10 years;
• 12 years old;
• 14-15;
• 16 years.

In most cases, the doctor diagnoses the development of this pathology at older children, starting from the second year of life. But there are cases when a mother of a more adult baby suspects CHAT for the presence of the disease and the need for correction.

It is most difficult to detect astigmatism in children up to a year, because they cannot tell about their condition.

There are a number of symptoms that indicates a disease:

• The child often says that he sees badly anything regardless of the distance;
• Systematic pains of head and eyebrows, forehead appear. Often occur due to the fact that the child tilts his head for better visibility;
• The auditorium very quickly tires the baby;
• Seeking eyes;
• It is difficult to focus on the printed text.

What to do when detecting the disease

Very often minor violations in the visual system are held by themselves with age. However, inaction in the presence of pathology is fraught with a decrease in vision, excessive tension, thumbs in the eyes, headaches, often by strabismus and amblyopy (syndrome «Lazy eye»).

If the child confirmed the diagnosis of astigmatism, then medical appointments will first of all be aimed at vision correction. The first thing ophthalmologist picks up glasses (it rarely resorted to the use of contact lenses).

At the same time, they have cylindrical glasses – for constant socks. At this time, the main task of parents is to control the growth of the eyes and the timely replacement of optics.

Now on the counters you can meet polydiaphragmal glasses in a large assortment, «in hole», or differently – Laser Vizhn. They are used to treat eye diseases, increasing the depth of optical focus.

However, most specialists are skeptically evaluated by this method. True, such a product will not harm, but it will take time if patients are counting on such a correction.

Treatment of astigmatism in children occurs with the help of contact correction, as well as using a video computers to improve vision. Very effectively proven gymnastics for eyes. During the treatment of the medical course, it gives a positive trend.

In the predominant majority of cases, this full complex increases quite effectively with visual sharpness and after a while at all get rid of the points. And this is the goal of corrective treatment: improve the sharpness of the child without the help of glasses.

Operational treatment

However, it is worth emphasizing that optics are only correction, and not treatment. Fully cure astigmatism, only resorting to surgical intervention.

Such surgical treatment is possible only after 20 years, given the features of the course of the disease, because up to 16 years in the body, growth processes, including visual systems, are actively occurring.

Options for surgery:

• Keratotomy. Non-cores are applied to the cornea, due to which the refraction of the reinforced axis weakens. Such operations are carried out at myopia, as well as with a mixed form of astigmatism;
• Thermocratocoagulation. Special heated metal needle migrate peripheral corneal zone. In this case, the curvature of the cornea increases, at the same time increasing the refractive force. This type of operations are performed for the correction of long-nature astigmatism.

Upon reaching the age of 18, if there is a weak form of the disease, it is possible to carry out laser correction. However, this method of correction of vision has its shortcomings and advantages, as well as contraindications, for example:

• Inflammatory eye diseases;
• Rubts on the retina;
• Unstable condition and pr.

Take care of your children’s eyesight, more often attend the oculist and resort to methods of preventing the disease!