Kadrmas Eye Care New England
  • Doctors
    • Eddie Kadrmas, MD
    • Richard Strecker, MD
    • Daniel J. Townsend, MD
    • Aimee Gray, OD
    • Ashley Sousa, OD
  • Patients
    • CV-19 Statement
    • Eye Conditions >
      • Cataracts
      • Common Eye Problems >
        • Allergies
        • Amblyopia
        • Astigmatism
        • Blepharitis
        • Chalazion / Stye
        • Conjunctivitis
        • Corneal Abrasion
        • Floaters & Flashes
        • Hyperopia / Farsightedness
        • Myopia / Nearsightedness
        • Presbyopia
        • Strabismus
      • Corneal Diseases & Disorders >
        • Corneal Ulcers
        • Fuchs’ Dystrophy
        • Herpes Zoster / Shingles
        • Keratitis
        • Keratoconus
        • Pterygium
      • Diabetic Eye Disease
      • Dry Eye Syndrome
      • Eyelid Diseases & Disorders >
        • Dermatochalasis
        • Ectropion
        • Entropion
        • Eyelid Lesion
        • Ptosis
        • Tear Duct Obstruction
        • Tumor
      • Eye Trauma / Injury >
        • Blunt Trauma
        • Chemical Injury
        • Penetrating / Perforating Injury
      • Glaucoma >
        • Open Angle Glaucoma >
          • iStent
        • Narrow Angle Glaucoma
        • Neovascular Glaucoma
        • Inflammatory Glaucoma
      • Macular Diseases & Disorders >
        • Macular Degeneration
        • Macular Hole
        • Macular Pucker
      • Neurological Eye Diseases >
        • Blepharospasm
        • Double Vision
        • Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
        • Stroke / Visual Field Defect
        • Temporal Arteritis
      • Retinal Diseases & Disorders >
        • Retinal Tears & Detachments
        • Retinal Vascular Diseases
      • Uveitis & Iritis
    • Resources >
      • Eye Health & Care Blog
      • Retina Digest
    • Videos >
      • Eye Anatomy
      • Cataract
      • Laser Cataract Surgery
      • Children's Vision
      • Common Eye Problems
      • Corneal Conditions
      • Diabetic Eye Disease
      • Dry Eye Syndrome
      • Glaucoma
      • Laser & Refractive Eye Surgery
      • LASIK Over 45
      • LASIK Under 45
      • Macular Degeneration
      • Plastic Eye Surgery
      • Retinal Conditions
      • Refractive Errors
      • Routine Eye Exams
    • Forms & Policies >
      • New Patient Forms
      • HIPAA Policy
      • Referral Forms
    • Financial Information
  • Services
    • Routine Eye Exams >
      • Children
      • Adults
    • Hearing Therapy
    • Specialized Eye Exams >
      • Dilated Eye Exam / Slit Lamp Examination
      • Fluorescein Angiogram
      • Indocyanine Green Angiogram
      • Nerve Fiber Analysis
      • Optical Coherence Tomography
      • Refraction
      • Tonometry
      • Visual Acuity Testing
      • Visual Field Testing
    • Medical, Injection & Surgical / Laser Eye Care
    • Contact Lenses >
      • Contact Lens Types
      • Contact Lens Care & Safety
    • Refractive Eye Surgery >
      • LASIK Eye Surgery
      • PRK
      • Clear Lens Extraction
      • Implantable Collamer Lenses
    • Oculoplastic Surgery & Cosmetic Procedures >
      • Blepharoplasty
      • BOTOX®
      • Restylane®
  • Locations
    • Plymouth
    • Wareham
    • Mashpee
    • Surgery Centers
  • About
    • News
    • Affiliations
    • Patient Reviews
  • Careers
  • Contact
To Schedule Your Eye Appointment, Please Call 1-508-746-8600

Patient Resources - Eye Health & Care Blog

Low Vision in Children | Low Vision Awareness Month

2/1/2023

 
Picture
You might think that low vision is something that only happens to adults  but low vision and blindness can also develop in children. February is Low Vision Awareness Month. Understanding more about the causes of low vision in children is helpful in improving quality of life.

Causes of low vision in kids

Although low vision occurs much more often in adults, it can also affect children. There are several causes of low vision in children, including the following:

Pediatric cataracts: Cataracts can develop in children. A cataract involves a clouding of the lens in the eye. If not treated, it can lead to vision loss.

Albinism: Albinism is a rare condition that causes a lack of melanin in the body. This affects the pigment of the skin, eyes, and hair. It also can affect eyesight. It is a lifelong condition that a child is born with.

Nystagmus: Nystagmus involves a disorder in which the eyes move rapidly up and down or side to side uncontrollably. It can also lead to problems with vision.

In addition to the causes above, many children with low vision also have other developmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or hearing loss.
​

Treatment 

Treatment for low vision in children depends on the underlying cause. For example, pediatric cataracts are treated with surgery to replace the lens.

Children with nystagmus may benefit from glasses. Although it does not fix the condition, having clearer vision may slow down eye movements. Some conditions that may lead to low vision, such as albinism, are not treatable.
​

Coping with low vision in childhood 

Coping with low vision in children often involves some of the same strategies as adults use to improve functioning. For example, vision rehabilitation helps children learn how to improve independence and maximize functioning. In some cases, it involves training on using low vision aids and learning braille. But there are also special considerations when it comes to low vision and children. Consider the following:

Early intervention is key: Early intervention, including therapy and education, helps kids reach their full potential. Call your local office of education or school district to get more information on early intervention programs in your area.

Develop a partnership: Work with your child’s doctor and professionals, such as occupational therapists and teachers, to develop a comprehensive plan to support education and social development. 

Engage socially: Children that have low vision benefit from becoming involved socially with other children, both with and without visual impairments. Encourage kids to get involved with school activities and adaptive sports. There are also special camps and programs for children with low vision.

Seek experts: Enlist help from experts in the field of low vision. For instance, some occupational therapists, social workers, and vision rehabilitation therapists specialize in working with children with low vision. 

In addition to working with experts in your area, there are other resources that may be helpful. For example, national organizations for people with low vision can provide education, support, and information on where to access services in your area. The following organizations are a good place to start.
  • National Federation for the Blind
  • American Foundation for the Blind
  • Easter Seals

We hope this information provides useful resources to deal with low vision in childhood. If you want more information or have questions, we are happy to help.

If you would like to ask whether an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600. 


Comments are closed.

    EYE HEALTH BLOG


    CLICK HERE to sign up for our eye health / care newsletter and have it delivered automatically to your inbox each month!

    Categories

    All
    AMD
    Astigmatism
    Cataract
    Children's Eye Health
    Color Blindness
    Conjunctivitis
    Contact Lens
    Cornea
    Cosmetic Eye Surgery
    Covid 19
    Diabetic Eye Disease
    Driving
    Dry Eyes
    Eye Allergies
    Eye Cancer
    Eye Exam
    Eye Health & Safety
    Eye Infections
    Eye Strain
    Glaucoma
    Injuries
    Low Vision
    Lupus
    Macula
    Myasthenia Gravis
    Organ Donation
    Retina
    Retinopathy
    Scleritis
    Senior Eye Health
    Sports
    Stroke
    Stye
    Uvea
    Vision Correction
    Vision Loss
    Women's Eye Health

    RSS Feed


    Picture

Kadrmas Eye Care New England

55 Commerce Way, Plymouth, MA 02360
14 Tobey Road, Wareham, MA 02571
133 Falmouth Road (Rt 28), Mashpee, MA 02649
Phone Number:
​1-508-746-8600

Hours:
Monday through Friday - 
8 AM - 4:30 PM 
© 2015-2021 Kadrmas Eye Care New England • All Rights Reserved
KadrmasEyeCare.com Privacy Policy • Disclaimer of Medical Liability
Proudly powered by Weebly
Design by DivTag Templates