Hypermetropia in children - what is it?

In modern times, children often encounter various visual abnormalities. And in many cases, such a disease as hypermetropia, which requires immediate correction, is manifested. This disease is especially noticeable at the age of 5-7 years, when the baby begins to study disciplines and reading. This is understandable, but here's how to cure hyperopia in children, read in this article.

What it is?

Hypermetropia is an anomaly of refraction of the eye, in which the image located at distant distances, is focused not in the center of the retina, but behind it.Because of the refraction anomaly, the refractive power of the eye is disturbed and poor visibility of closely located objects appears.

Otherwise, hypermetropia is called hyperopia.

Hyperopia in children is divided into three types:

• weak (up to 3 diopters);
• average (up to 5 diopters);
• high (more than 5 diopters).

After birth, children always exhibit an average degree of farsightedness (about 3 diopters). By the 3rd year, the visual system of toddlers is already more developed and the degree of farsightedness decreases to 1 diopters.

However, some children are born with a high degree of farsightedness, which does not decrease with the growth and development of the child.

As a rule, the first examination by an ophthalmologist in children is carried out 6 months after birth, the second examination - after 12.The norm at one-year age is farsightedness no more, diopters.

There are the following age norms of manifestation of hypermetropia:

• 1 year - +, D;
• 2 years - +, D;
• 3 years - + 1 D.

As a rule, deviations above or below these norms in children are considered a bad sign.If the child has a deviation above the age norm, it is quite possible that strabismus occurs, if the deviation is below the norm, it is likely the development of myopia.

Parents need to pay special attention to the presence of visual deviations in the child at the age of 6-7 when the child enters the school.

This is the age limit, when the manifestation of hyperopia in children is not the norm, but a pathology requiring mandatory correction.If farsightedness at this age is not treated, there is a high risk of complications.In addition, teaching a child in school will produce a greater burden on the child's visual system, which is fraught with a rapid progression of the pathology of vision.

Causes

In the vast majority of cases, the cause of hypermetropia is a decrease in the size of the eyeball on the anteroposterior axis.In this case, the eye assumes an oblate shape, and as a result, the light rays passing through the optical system of the eye, focus behind the retina of the eye, which ultimately leads to an indistinct, blurry vision subjects.

In children, hyperopia manifests itself in the first stages of life. The main cause of hyperopia in the vast majority of cases is an anomaly of the anatomy of the eye.

Usually in children in the first years of life a very small size of the eyeball.However, the gradual elimination of this visual defect is due to the growth of the eyeball as the child develops. Some neonates have congenital hyperopia. The onset of this disease is due to a congenital weak refractive force of the lens or cornea.Congenital hyperopia in children, usually a high degree (more than 3 diopters).

In this case, there is a risk of developing concomitant eye diseases - strabismus and amblyopia.

Symptoms

Symptoms of hypermetropia can vary depending on the degree of hypermetropia:

• With weak farsightedness, the child usually has a high visual acuity, both at long-range and close distances, but at the same time he can complain about fast fatigue, dizziness and headache pain.
• If the child has an average degree of hypermetropia, he can clearly distinguish objects at long distances, but at the same time visual acuity at close distances is sufficiently reduced.
• At high degrees of farsightedness, vision is difficult enough both at close and long distances.This is caused by the inability of the eye to focus the image on the retina.

Diagnostics

Hypermetropia can be identified, as a rule, only in the ophthalmology room with the help of a special vision survey. This eye disease can not be detected with a routine vision test.Children should be diagnosed with hypermetropia regularly, at least once a year.

In some cases in children, farsightedness of a mild degree can be compensated for by accommodating apparatus of the eye, therefore, a false claim can be made that the child has good eyesight that does not require correction. Ophthalmologists call this latent farsightedness. As a result, a hidden problem with vision can lead to its gradual reduction, and also, to the general deterioration of the child's condition in the form of rapid eye fatigue and frequent headaches pain.As a rule, untimely identified hyperopia can be corrected subsequently only by surgical correction.Therefore, the examination of the visual system should always be thorough and regular in order to avoid such problems.

Detection of hypermetropia in children is carried out by the method of drug dilatation of the pupil, by means of which the lens of the eye relaxes and the real refraction of the eye becomes obvious.

Treatment

In modern times, ophthalmology has in its arsenal about 20 effective methods of treating hypermetropia.The most common methods of correction of hypermetropia are spectacle and contact lenses.However, these methods of vision correction are temporary, since they can not permanently rid the child of hyperopia.

Before the onset of 3 years of age, children are not corrected for hyperopia. Before this age, wearing contact lenses or glasses to children is contraindicated, since they can pose a significant danger to them. Microsurgical operations on the eyes, as a rule, do not perform until the end of the period of active growth of the organ of vision.

At the older age, a correction of far-sightedness is permitted.Selection of glasses and monitoring of ongoing treatment is carried out by an ophthalmologist.For the treatment of myopia, as a rule, spherical or spherocylindrical collecting ("plus") lenses are selected, with the help of which the focus shifts to the surface of the retina.

Wearing contact lenses is usually only allowed to adolescent high school students, since this category of children refers to such a correction of vision responsibly.To small children to contact lenses it will be difficult enough to get used, in addition, lenses require strict compliance with the rules of wearing, hygiene and inaccurate use of lenses can lead to infectious diseases.

Ocular or contact correction of eyesight in children can be combined with hardware or physiotherapy treatment.It is used to stimulate visual function, to remove spasm and to train the eye muscles.

There are following physiotherapeutic procedures for the treatment of hyperopia:

• Transcutaneous electrostimulation. It is performed to improve the blood supply of the ciliary muscle and retina.
• Electrostimulation with a low-intensity infrared laser. The procedure is carried out to stimulate circulation of fluid in the eye and restore blood circulation. Also, it produces anti-inflammatory action.
• Color pulse stimulation.
• Vacuum massage.
• Ultrasonic therapy.
• Electrocoagulation.

To avoid the progression of the disease, additional medication is provided. To eliminate complications and symptoms of hyperopia, improve the metabolic processes in the eye tissues, ophthalmologists prescribe special medications.

In the treatment of hypermetropia in children, laser correction is also possible.As a rule, it is administered to children after 18 years of age, who have a stable form of hypermetropia.This is a highly accurate, painless method of correcting hypermetropia and other types of refractive error.Laser correction allows you to fully restore vision with hyperopia to +6 diopters.However, for carrying out this procedure, there are certain contraindications. It is also necessary to know that laser eye surgery can cause significant complications.

At a high degree of hypermetropia (more than +6 diopters) microsurgical refractive surgery is performed.During the operation, a clear lens is removed and an artificial intraocular lens is implanted in its place. With the help of an artificial lens it is possible to clearly see objects both at close and long distances.

Great importance in the treatment of hypermetropia is the diet of the child. The child should consume foods saturated with vitamins, trace elements and antioxidants.

Beneficial effects on the eyes are:

• blueberry;
• cherries;
• carrot;
• cranberries.

Also, children are recommended to eat foods rich in vitamin C in the treatment of hyperopia. These include:

• greens (dill, green onions);
• citrus fruits (orange, lemon);
• black and red currants;
• rose hips;
• kiwi;
• cranberry;
• Rowan.

To strengthen the blood vessels of the eyes, children suffering from hyperopia, it is recommended to eat foods rich in polyunsaturated acids:

• vegetable oils (especially corn and olive oil);
• sea ​​fish;
• seafood;
• nuts.

Complications

If you ignore the treatment of high-grade children's hyperopia, a greater risk of complications develops. If the abnormality of refraction in the child is not timely detected and eliminated, then development of complications such as convergent strabismus and amblyopia is possible.

The convergent strabismus arises from the overstrain of the oculomotor muscles. Overexertion usually arises from the fact that the baby is constantly trying to reduce his eyes to the nose, to see more clearly.Due to prolonged overstrain of the eye muscles, the spasm of accommodation can also develop.This disease, as it develops, leads to a loss of ability to respond to a change in the focal length, resulting in a sharp drop in visual acuity.

With the progression of strabismus there is a concomitant strabismus complication - amblyopia.Amblyopia in most cases develops in children with advanced farsightedness. This visual deviation is manifested in a decrease in visual acuity of one of the eyes.Very often, ablation develops as a concomitant strabismus disease.

Significant complications can cause progressive farsightedness.If this disease is not treated, then in the eye may be outflow of intraocular fluid and eventually can develop glaucoma.This complication manifests itself in the constant or periodic increase in intraocular pressure above the permissible level.Glaucoma, as a rule, leads to blindness.

Prevention

Hypermetropia in children is difficult enough to treat. Therefore, this disease is easier to prevent than cure.Preventive measures are especially necessary for children with a hereditary predisposition to farsightedness.

To avoid the development of hyperopia follow the following rules:

• Visual loads should always be alternated with active rest.
• The workplace should be high-lighted.
• It is desirable to exercise and have a long time outdoors.
• The child should have a balanced nutritious diet rich in vitamins and microelements.
• It is recommended to perform regular exercises for the eyes.
• An ophthalmologist's examination should be regular (at least once a year), even if the farsightedness does not appear.

.

Treatment of the corneal burn of the eye by welding: first aid and further recommendations for care.

From what age you can wear lenses to children you will learn in this article.

Symptoms and signs of cataracts of the eye: http://eyesdocs.ru/zabolevaniya/katarakta/priznaki-simptomy-katarakty.html

.

Video

conclusions

Hypermia is a serious enough, but curable disease in children. To avoid the negative consequences of this disease, parents need to regularly examine their children from an ophthalmologist. Moreover, at a small age, hyperopia is best corrected.