Astigmatism in a child: causes, symptoms and treatment

The state of the irregular curvature of the cornea or lens of the eye is known as astigmatism. In this state, the light can not focus on the retina, which leads to blurred vision. Astigmatism in a child is often congenital and often occurs in combination with myopia or farsightedness. This is a kind of refraction anomaly, and it is corrected in modern medicine with the help of contact lenses, glasses or surgical intervention. Astigmatism in a child is of three types - myopic, mixed and farsighted. This disease is especially difficult to diagnose in children, and parents should pay attention to the signs and symptoms of this visual disorder. And although often astigmatism in a child is present at birth, nevertheless, it can develop after trauma or eye injury.

Signs and symptoms of astigmatism:

• Blurred or distorted image;
• Irritation or discomfort in the eyes;
• Difficulties with focusing the look at printed words or lines;
• headache;
• Fatigue in the eyes;
• Children can tilt or turn their head to get a sharper image;
• They can not see objects, both near and far, without screwing up their eyes.

How to detect myopic or mixed astigmatism in a child?

One of the earliest signs of astigmatism is the difficulty in seeing the words and letters written on the board. If the child frowns, looking at distant objects, or puts a book too close to his eyes when reading, he may be suffering from astigmatism. The child may also have difficulty reading and low levels of concentration. There are complaints about blurred vision and headache. It is best to contact an eye doctor who can help diagnose the problem, if any.

Treatment of astigmatism in a child

Myopic astigmatism can be corrected with the help of glasses, lenses and eye surgery. Correcting lenses compensate for the irregular curvature of the cornea in such a way that the image is correctly focused on the retina. Both types of corrective lenses - glasses and contact lenses - are used to treat astigmatism.

Surgical treatment encompasses the Lasik technique and keratotomy. With the help of the first technique, the shape of the cornea changes by removing tissues with a laser beam, which improves the refraction of light and, therefore, the formation of a clear image. Keratotomy is the removal of tissues directly from the surface of the eye, which leads to a change in their curvature, and, consequently, correction of vision.

In addition, if the child has a mild form of the disease, you can use therapeutic gymnastics. Special exercises for the eyes will help strengthen their muscles, improve concentration and, accordingly, vision.

Astigmatism is usually a hereditary disease and has basically a congenital form. It can occur in young children and usually decreases with age. The child is not able to explain his vision of the disorder, so early diagnosis is difficult. Thus, it is necessary to carry out preventive checks from an ophthalmologist in order to detect any deviations in vision as early as possible and begin timely treatment.