Paediatric Ophthalmology

Eye problems in children get detected late as children do not notice or tell the parents till it is late. If left untreated, ophthalmological complications in children can lead to permanent eye defects. Thus, having a paediatric ophthalmologist is essential to preserve your child’s eyesight into adulthood.

As an expert ophthalmologist, Dr Anisha Gupta understands the delicate requirements of paediatric ophthalmology, and hence, adjusts all her procedures for optimal results and comfortable recoveries.

Conditions Treated by a Paediatric Ophthalmologist

Some common causes for eye problems in children include:

Refractive errors

Congenital abnormalities (present since birth) such as cataract, squint, glaucoma, ptosis (droopy eyelids), cyst, and nasolacrimal duct blockage

Developmental disorders that develop in the first few years such as cataract, glaucoma, and squint

Premature births, leading to cortical blindness

Prematurity associated eg. retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)

Vitamin A deficiency, leading to dry eyes

Eye allergies

Computer vision syndrome

Eye tumours or malignancies

As a Paediatric ophthalmologist in Delhi, Dr Anisha gives ample time to the child to settle down and evaluate the child completely. She then suggests the correct treatment path and suggests surgery only if very essential.

Refractive Error Treatment

Refractive errors are structural changes in the eye, preventing light from focusing on the retina. Common refractive errors include myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness), and astigmatism. Myopia is most common in children.

Children with refractive errors usually show the following symptoms:

Headache

Eyestrain and fatigue

Blurry vision

Eye rubbing

Lack of interest in school

Difficulty reading

Squinting

A paediatric ophthalmologist prescribes glasses for these errors. Your child gets minus glasses for myopia, and plus glasses for hyperopia.

If your child is older, they may get contact lenses. They may also opt for refractive surgery after 18 to remove their dependency on glasses or lenses.

Dr Gupta also prescribes medicines, lifestyle changes and exercises if required, to stop the glass power from increasing.

Squint Treatment

Strabismus, commonly called squint, refers to a condition where the eyes do not look in the same direction. The squinting eye follows this classification:

Upward turning (hypertropia)

Downward turning (hypotropia)

Inward turning (esotropia)

Outward turning (exotropia)

Common symptoms for strabismus include:

Eyes looking in different directions

Double vision

Closing or covering one eye when viewing near or far object

Tilting or turning the head

Headaches

Eyestrain

A paediatric ophthalmologist treats this condition in various ways, depending on the nature of the squint and any associated disorders like amblyopia (lazy eye). These may include:

Glasses or contact lenses

Prism lenses

Eye exercises (orthoptics)

Patching to treat amblyopia

Eye muscle surgery to realign the eyes

Eye muscle surgery to re-align the eyes

Leaving a squint untreated can lead to permanently poor vision in the turned eye since the brain ignores signals from it to avoid double vision. Squint treatments today are highly effective and can restore the normal functioning of eyes by re-aligning the eyes.

Eye Allergies Treatment

Eye allergies are widespread in children, caused by numerous environmental reasons. Their symptoms involve eye irritation, watery and red eyes, and eyelid swelling.

Paediatric ophthalmologists offer several treatment options depending on the allergy’s severity, such as:

Artificial tears

Oral antihistamines

Antihistamine eyedrops

Mast cell stabilizer eyedrops

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Corticosteroid eyedrops

Allergy shots (immunotherapy)

Always discuss any medication with your child’s ophthalmologist before opting for any treatment to ensure the safest outcome.

Paediatric Cataract Treatment

Cataracts involve the clouding of the lens. In children, this can cause permanent damage since their brains are still developing. Its symptoms include:

Visible white spot in the brown / black area of eye (Leukocoria)

Blurry or double vision

Light sensitivity

Bright colours appearing faded or yellow

Squinting

Cataract surgery involves phacoemulsification, i.e. breaking up the clouded lens with a laser, removing it, and placing an intraocular lens (IOL) in its place.

Unlike adults, children require specialised instruments and techniques for safe surgical experiences. Dr Gupta has the necessary facilities to ensure such sophisticated treatments for paediatric cataracts.

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Treatment

ROP happens when the blood vessels in the retina stop growing normally, in premature babies (born less than 34 weeks and less than 2 kg of weight, and require oxygen support in nursery). It is a potentially blinding disease, if not treated in time. All babies at risk of developing ROP are screened at 2-4 weeks after birth by an ROP specialist.

If the ROP does not resolve itself, your paediatric ophthalmologist uses one or more of the following treatments:

Laser ablation treatment to burn the avascular retina

Intravitreal injections that stop unwanted blood vessel growth

If the baby’s retina detaches despite these treatments, ophthalmologists use retina surgeries like vitrectomy to relieve the pull on the retina and help it flatten against the eyewall.

ROP needs urgent management or the child can lose vision forever.

For optimal results and improved eye health, you need an expert ophthalmologist in Delhi like Dr Anisha Gupta. As a leading specialist in numerous surgeries with access to the latest technologies, she promises high-quality solutions to every condition, while understanding the delicate care children need.

Paediatric Ophthalmology