Hyperopia in children, guide for parents
"Mom, what do you put in this book?" And the letters are quite visible. However, the child has no problems in identifying objects in the distance and even read some posters that are farther away than the sentences of a book in the hands of the child.
These are some of the signs that can warn parents that their child has farsightedness, a problem in the eyes that often resolves over the years. However, in others, the use of glasses is mandatory in order to correct this defect.
What is hyperopia?
The Spanish Pediatric Association defines the farsightedness like "a refractive error in which the eyes have little refractive power and the light rays bend or converge little, reason why the image focuses behind the retina". This occurs because the cornea does not have enough curvature or because the eyeball is smaller than it should be.
In either case the result is the same: the child appreciates objects and letters better in the distance than those near or in front of him. It is very common that for example while reading the page of a book, the letters become smaller and smaller until they become blurred points indecipherable to him.
The pediatricians point out that most of the minors are farsighted, but that this defect is solved over time, although in other cases it is not like that.
What are the symptoms of hyperopia
In addition to the complaint for not recognizing the letters in a book they have in hand, hyperopic children also suffer from headaches caused by the effort they must make to get to focus what is in front of them. It is also common for the child to show that his eyeballs sting after having read or manipulated an object that requires visual closeness.
In some cases the effort to see what is blurry close-up makes children squint their eyes looking for a better approach or in some cases put on cross-eyed, which can cause strabismus by overstressing the muscle of this area of the body.
What is the best treatment for hyperopia
If any of these symptoms have been noticed in the child, it is essential to go to the eye doctor so that he can examine the child. The first will be a standard vision test where the child will be asked to read some letters or recognize some shapes at different distances and in different sizes. In cases where the diagnosis is not clear, these professionals can use a device called retinoscope, which serves to see how light is reflected in the retina, a technique that is also used to determine if the child is nearsighted.
The specialist will determine if it is a case of hyperopia that will happen over time when the child learns to focus well, or if it is necessary to resort to correction products such as glasses. It is also recommended that in cases where the child has been diagnosed with this problem, always play under powerful lights and work the vision at close range through exercises.
Damián Montero
