Early screening key to preventing vision problems in kids

Vision problems in children are common. An estimated 13.5 million infants and children ages 1 - 17 have vision problems. The good news is that the majority of these vision problems can be corrected if caught early. Yet less than a third of U.S. elementary children aged 5 years and under had ever had their vision screened prior to starting elementary school, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Maryland mandates hearing and vision screenings for all public school students. But health professionals differ on how early children should be screened. According to this George Washington University Center for Health and Health Care in Schools report on the subject:

"The American Optometric Association and the American Public Health Association recommend comprehensive vision examinations for all children starting at 6 months of age and at regular intervals thereafter, while the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatricians support vision screenings for all children by age 3 and at regular intervals thereafter."

A change in your ability to see, from a neurological perspective, can happen at any age, and can be caused by many conditions, including:

• Hormonal/pituitary imbalances
• A weakening of nerves controlling the eye muscles
• Infection, disease or pressure on the optic nerve
• Tumor or stroke
• Certain diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
  

While most conditions seen in children are common, some visual symptoms that can't be attributed to problems in the eye itself may be signs of a neurological problem. These can include a sudden loss of vision (full or partial), blurred or double vision, loss of color perception, a droopy lid or a pupil problem.

In some cases, your child's pediatrician may recommend consulting a neuro-ophthalmologist. Neuro-ophthalmology is the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders that affect the eye and visual function. Neuro-ophthalmologists receive advanced training in problems of the eye, brain, nerves and muscles.

Michael Altman, M.D., specializes in neuro-ophthalmology and pediatric ophthalmology at Sinai Hosptial of Baltimore's Krieger Eye Institute. In addition to coordinating the resources and specialists there, he puts the diagnostic technology and surgical expertise of Sinai Hospital to work, evaluating and treating neurologically-based vision problems.

Appointments begin with an extensive examination of your child's personal health history, lifestyle, and family history, along with a thorough eye and medical exam, with an emphasis on the neurological system. While some conditions can be treated medically through drug therapy, others may be treated through surgery. Some conditions cannot be treated, except through a change in your child's medical condition.

What do you think is the proper age for a child to have his or her first eye exam?