Patient education is extremely important. When your child comes for an eye exam we try to explain everything about your child's diagnosis to you before you leave and we welcome call-backs. We also offer supplemental methods to improve your understanding of childhood vision problems. Dr. DeRespinis has put together a series of talks on common and not so common eye conditions, with audio-visual enhancements at the following website. Click here to enter the site www.theeyesiteforkids.com
Choose the topic of interest and just click on the icons and sit back and listen. Other sites highly recommended by Drs. DeRespinis & Pearlstein to obtain information on conditions affecting the eyes are hosted by THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY & STRABISMUS and THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY. Click on the Links below to enter the sites.
American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
Strabismus must be detected early in children because they are so adaptable. If a child sees double, his or her brain quickly learns to suppress or block out one of the images to maintain single vision. In a short time, the brain permanently suppresses vision from the turned eye, causing a weak or amblyopic eye. Trauma, certain diseases and occasionally eye surgery can cause strabismus. It can also be inherited.
Common signs of strabismus are turned or crossed eyes, a head tilt or turn, squinting, and in some cases, double vision. Treatment depends on the patient's age, cause of the problem, and type and degree of the eye turn. Treatment may include patching, corrective glasses, prisms, vision therapy or surgery.