What types of conditions do pediatric ophthalmologists treat?
Pediatric ophthalmologists diagnose and treat many eye conditions in children. One common condition is strabismus — a misalignment of the eyes. The eyes can be misaligned in any direction. The direction in which the eye drifts determines the specific term used to describe the strabismus. For instance, if a child has eyes that turn in or “cross,” they have an esotropia. For eyes that drift apart, they have an exotropia . Strabismus usually is treated with a combination of patching, glasses and surgery. A full eye exam with a pediatric ophthalmologist is necessary to establish a treatment plan, which is then tailored to the needs of the child. Another common condition, amblyopia , is a loss of vision from lack of use in an otherwise normal eye. Amblyopia develops in eyes with strabismus, eyes that are out of focus compared to the other eye and eyes with problems like cataracts or corneal opacities (cloudiness). Pediatric ophthalmologists also examine premature infants for retinopathy of
