Children’s Eye Treatment and Surgery

Children’s Eye Treatment and Surgery

If the paediatrician requests that the child be seen by a pediatric ophthalmologist, this is not an indication that there is a serious problem. The child may be complaining about a simple symptom, but ignore it and things can go wrong. In this case, we recommend that you visit an eye clinic for an eye examination and a general evaluation of visual acuity and reassurance.

On your visit to Batal Complex, you will find an eye clinic that specializes in treating and treating children’s eyes, starting from the treatment of eye inflammation, minor eye deviation, and redness of the eye in children, to the most serious symptoms.

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Treating an eye infection at home

Eye inflammation often occurs as a result of infection, and this is why it is more prevalent among children due to their lack of awareness of the importance of sterilization and hand washing. In many cases, treating a child’s eye infection at home is effective and gives good results. However, it is always recommended that you consult a pediatric ophthalmologist or an ophthalmologist before using home remedies.

The most popular home remedies for eye infections for children

Saline solution

The saline solution is one of the most effective eyes inflammation treatments and it is similar in structure and function to natural tears that clean the eye, and it also contains anti-microbial materials.

 
 

Putting cold tea compresses on the eyelid helps to relax and calm the muscles, and it is an effective home remedy in treating eye inflammation in children because some types of tea have nerve-soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, such as green, black, and chamomile tea.

 
 

The American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests using warm eye compresses as an effective home remedy for soothing an eye infection when using a clean washcloth and warm water not too hot so as not to harm the eye. Cold compresses also help soothe the affected eye, but it is advised not to apply ice or cold water directly to the eye.

 
 

It is scientifically proven that honey contains antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, and studies have found that honey has been an effective treatment for keratitis and dry eyes. However, it should be noted here that honey did not help completely eliminate the infection, and you should also not put honey directly in the eyes.

In general, it should be borne in mind that it is true that treating an eye infection at home may help reduce swelling and inflammation, but you will need:
Medical advice should be sought to determine the cause of the infection and treat it if inflammation persists.

Children’s eye treatment and surgery

Factors that help improve the child’s eyesight without going to an eye clinic

Playinh in open outdoor areas is beneficial to the health of the body in general, and recent studies have shown several facts linking play outside with the health of children’s eyes, including:

  • Playing outside helps reduce the chance that the child will need corrective lenses.
  • Reducing every extra hour a child spends outdoors can reduce the risk of vision loss by 2%.
  • Children who spend more time outdoors have fewer vision problems than children who do not spend enough time.
  • The American Ophthalmological Association recommends that children play outdoors, and activities such as climbing and running help a lot with eye coordination, vision enhancement, and mild ocular deviation in children.
  • Sunlight is a good way to improve poor eyesight, but it is essential to protect your child’s eyes from UV rays.If these methods do not work or the problem is greater, it is preferable to visit an eye clinic and consult a pediatric ophthalmologist in order to examine the eyes and determine whether there is a need for prescription glasses or corrective surgery.

When should a child go to an eye clinic?

Batal Specialist Center recommends routine eye examinations for children in a number of cases:

  1. Newborn babies should be examined by eye.
  2. Close checks are recommended for early-born babies.
  3. It is preferable to have a routine examination for all children in the first year of life to check on the health of the eyes.
  4. Eye exams and exams are preferred for all 3-year-olds.
  5. You must adhere to regular follow-up if the child suffers from an underlying vision problem.
  6. If the child wears glasses, we recommend that he go to a pediatric ophthalmologist or an eye clinic every year to monitor the difference in the measurement of vision with growth.
  7.  

Children’s eye treatment and surgery

There are some special cases that it is preferable to visit an eye clinic when noticed, including:

Children’s simple eye deviation

Simple eye deviation in children is a common problem at a young age, and a condition called false strabismus can appear, which is when the child’s eyes are asymmetric when they are, in fact, looking in the same direction. The cause of pseudotumor can be excess skin on the eyelids or a flat nose. It is also common to notice slight eye deviation in children when they are tired.

Simple eye deviation may be a sign of another eye disease such as farsightedness, nearsightedness or astigmatism, and a number of other conditions that may be dangerous, so it is very important to visit an eye clinic and for the child to be examined by a pediatric ophthalmologist to determine his condition accurately and prescribe a treatment plan.

Children’s eye redness

Eye redness in children can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection, the symptoms of which appear as redness and inflammation of the eye. Often, red eyes in children are caused by allergies or other factors that irritate the eyes, such as air pollution or chlorine in swimming pools. The treatment is usually antibiotic ointments or drops with an anti-allergic. Cold and warm compresses help improve after cleaning the eyes with a damp cotton pad.

And we recommend not to wear contact lenses when the eye is red if the child uses them, and the doctors in our children’s eye clinic in Jeddah advise sterilizing the lenses in their solution twice before the child uses them again after recovery. If it is a one-time use, it is recommended to discard it and use new lenses, but after the infection is cured. The ophthalmologist may recommend that the child stays at home if the redness of the eye is caused by a viral infection so that the infection is not transmitted to other children.

Children’s eye inflammation

Treatment and surgery of children’s eyes, in some cases, eye inflammation is mild and can be treated at home, as mentioned earlier. But if the child’s condition does not improve and the eye inflammation increases and is accompanied by pain in the eyelids and around the eye with redness in the eye, then a pediatric ophthalmologist should be consulted because this means that the infection has begun to spread and needs more treatment.

These are some of the common eye problems in children, and there are other diseases that the comprehensive vision test reveals, which measures vision strength, clarity, and sharpness of vision, and also checks the percentage of squint and the general health of the child’s eyes from the inside and outside, and any indications of diseases that may be harmful or cause complications.

Treatment and surgery of children’s eyes at Al-Batal Medical Complex

Are you looking for a pediatric ophthalmologist in Jeddah? We are pleased to receive you in the pediatric ophthalmology unit within the Batal Eye Specialist Complex.

Pediatric laser eye surgery

Pediatric laser eye surgery is a procedure used to change the shape of the cornea of ​​the eye in order to correct vision problems such as nearsightedness or farsightedness. It is growing in popularity and LASIK (Laser Assisted Corneal Repositioning) has been instrumental in helping many people live without glasses or contact lenses. Parents of children with vision problems may ask whether laser eye surgery for children is an option for the health of their children. This topic is controversial, as most ophthalmologists are reluctant to treat an eye that is still developing, but there are some cases in which doctors believe that children may benefit from pediatric laser eye surgery.

Researchers are studying the effects of laser eye surgery on children with rare vision problems. For example, laser eye surgery has shown promising results in children with a condition in which one eye is very nearsighted or farsighted compared to the other eye.
Refractive errors are present in about 20% of children, and if the child suffers from refractive errors, the eye does not focus the light on the retina, and therefore the vision will be out of focus and unclear, and myopia is the most common refractive error in children, and here the child can see up close but has problems seeing things far away.
The next common problem is farsightedness, and this is where the child cannot see things close to them, but can see things far away. Most children have a small degree of this until they reach the age of seven. It is natural, leads to poor vision, and all of these cases can be treated through laser eye surgery for children

Are children eligible for laser surgery?

Ophthalmologists agree that refractive surgery should be reserved for patients who are 18 years of age or older as per FDA guidelines and children younger than 18 who do not have stable vision because their eyes are still developing and are constantly changing shape.

Because a key part of the success of laser and LASIK surgery is actually reshaping the eye, any improvements in vision that LASIK surgery gains in a very young person will only be temporary. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that children who change their contact lenses or eyeglasses within the past year not have refractive surgery. If you are considering LASIK for your child within a year of eyeglass replacement, they may well be ineligible.

Pediatric ophthalmologists with more than 20 years of experience

When you choose the Batal Specialist Complex, you will find complete eye care from certified pediatric ophthalmologists with advanced training to diagnose, treat, and manage all types of eye diseases. Since our doctors specialize in treating children, they have special knowledge of children’s visual development and are adept at discovering problems that a child cannot fully describe to you. 

 
Our Team

Senior Consultant, Pediatric Surgery and Eye Surgery Fellow of the British Royal Surgical College Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology

Specialization: Strabismus and pediatric eye surgery

Degree: Member of the British Royal College of Surgeons and Member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology

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Dr. Ahmad Hassan Batal

Batal Eye Center

 Call us  8001111897

Contact us via Email: info@bataleyecenter.com

Address: 8125 Prince Sultan road, Murjana tower Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

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