How often can you be examined by an ophthalmologist? Driver's license and vision. Pediatric ophthalmologists: how often to visit them

The first eye examination is carried out in the first days of the child’s life in the maternity hospital. If this does not happen, it is recommended to visit an ophthalmologist within the first month after birth (premature babies have a special schedule for examinations by a specialist).

During a standard examination using biomicroscopy of the eye, the ophthalmologist checks the condition of the eyelids and tear ducts (about 30% have congenital obstruction of the tear ducts, which may require special treatment), examines the conjunctiva (the thin transparent tissue covering the outside of the eye), the cornea and the lens. The doctor also checks for congenital abnormalities (strabismus, glaucoma, cataracts, etc.) that require immediate treatment. With congenital cataracts, maximum preservation of vision is possible, but subject to surgical treatment no later than 6 months of life. The examination also includes examination of the condition of the fundus using ophthalmoscopy - the condition of the optic nerve and blood vessels may indicate increased intracranial pressure, and the retina may be damaged by intrauterine toxoplasmosis. To determine the refraction of the eye of newborns and children under 2-3 years old, skiascopy is used - a method of objectively studying clinical refraction, based on observation of the movement of shadows obtained in the pupil area.

In the absence of any pathologies, the next visit to the ophthalmologist is scheduled after 6 and 12 months. During this period, the child’s eyes actively grow, refraction is established (farsightedness, astigmatism, congenital myopia or anisometropia - “different eyes”). An examination using skiascopy at this age is very important, since the quality of the child’s vision in the future depends on its results. The sooner the necessary correction is prescribed, the greater the likelihood that the child will have normal vision by school, and the easier it will be for the child and parents to undergo restorative treatment if any diseases are detected. Already from the second month of life, it is possible to use contact correction if indicated, and from six months you can start wearing glasses.

Next, the critical age is 2.5 - 3 years, when binocular, “three-dimensional” vision is formed. This is the age of development of concomitant strabismus, and a determination of the nature of vision and the reserve of accommodation is added to the standard examination. In most cases, early detection of refractive errors and the appointment of adequate correction is the prevention of the development of strabismus. In “corrected” children, binocular vision is formed in the usual time frame, and strabismus does not develop.

Further, as throughout life, an examination by an ophthalmologist must be carried out every year. At the age of 7 - 14, myopia may begin to develop, so timely recommendations from an ophthalmologist will help reduce the rate of vision loss. At the age of 13 - 20, hormonal changes and increased eye strain can manifest themselves in the form of headaches and eye pain due to uncorrected astigmatism - in this situation only an ophthalmologist can help.

This is followed by a relatively “quiet” period of up to 35–40 years, when all body systems work with maximum efficiency. Afterwards, the processes of “dehydration” of the tissues begin, which is also reflected in the eyes - problems with near vision appear, the eyes begin to lack moisture, and intraocular pressure may increase.

After 55 - 60 years, so-called “age-related” diseases may begin to develop: retinal dystrophy, cataracts, glaucoma. And only timely detection and early prevention can guarantee the preservation of vision into old age.

A standard examination by an ophthalmologist includes:

Biomicroscopy. Examination of the eyelids, conjunctiva, cornea, iris, pupil and lens under a microscope. In this case, the doctor can determine the presence of chronic inflammation, the risk of developing glaucoma or cataracts, fatigue and dry eyes.

Fundoscopy. Fundus examination. It can be carried out using a microscope and a special lens - then, with an average pupil width, you can examine the periphery of the retina without instilling drops. A monocular or binocular ophthalmoscope can also be used - in this case, drops that dilate the pupil are first used to visualize the peripheral parts of the retina. It is also possible to use a special device - a fundoscope - where a digital image of the fundus is stored in the computer memory and can be accessed at any time. The doctor’s field of view includes the retina, its central and peripheral parts, blood vessels, and the optic nerve. During the examination, a conclusion is made about the general condition of the body’s vascular system and the degree of compensation for various diseases, as well as the correspondence of intracranial pressure to intraocular pressure. The slightest changes are noted in the structure of the central part of the retina, which is responsible for visual acuity, and the peripheral part, which is responsible for the integrity of the entire retina.

Keratorefractometry. Measuring the curvature of the cornea and the refraction of the eye using a special device (it is at this stage that myopia, farsightedness, and astigmatism are detected). Based on this data, you can choose glasses or contact lenses.

Skiascopy. A variant of refractometry performed using a retinoscope and neutralizing lenses. It is the most accurate method for determining pathologies in children.

Tonometry. Measuring eye pressure. During the screening test, pneumotonometry is used - determination of pressure with air, or transpalpebral tonometry - determination of pressure with a special device through the eyelids. To more accurately measure intraocular pressure, the implantation method is used, when the eye is first “frozen” with drops and the device is placed directly on the cornea. Tonometry allows you to recognize the onset of a very serious disease - glaucoma - in the absence of any other signs of this disease.

Checking visual acuity. Using special tables, the degree of myopia, farsightedness or astigmatism is specified. And in children, in this way it is possible to recognize the development of amblyopia - “lazy eye” and begin timely treatment.

Perimetry. Study of visual fields using a special apparatus. It takes from 5 to 25 minutes and provides very important information about the functional state of the retina, optic nerve, visual pathways and cerebral cortex.

The initial examination of the child is carried out by a pediatric ophthalmologist a few days after birth, especially for premature and low birth weight children. A preventive examination by an ophthalmologist is carried out at the age of 1, 6 and 12 months; if there are no pathologies, then in the future it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist once a year.

Before attending kindergarten or school, the child undergoes a medical examination, which requires a visit to a pediatric ophthalmologist, who, if necessary, will help with issues of prevention or diagnosis of an incipient disease.

Who needs to visit an ophthalmologist not for the purpose of prevention?

If your vision deteriorates or discomfort occurs, such as dryness and burning in the eyes, you should visit an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. Timely diagnosis and treatment can help prevent future vision loss.

People who wear contact lenses are advised to visit a doctor at least once every 6-12 months. A contact lens is inherently a foreign object that can cause changes that are not noticeable at first. Improper storage and processing of lenses, sleeping with them, exceeding their service life can lead to irreversible consequences, for example, ingrowth of blood vessels into the cornea of ​​the eye; timely diagnosis will help to recognize the deviation and carry out treatment without resorting to surgery.

People who wear glasses should also visit an ophthalmologist once every six months to a year. The doctor will monitor your visual acuity and, if necessary, recommend replacing the lenses in your glasses.

When planning a pregnancy, it is also necessary to visit an ophthalmologist, especially if myopia has already developed or problems with the retina have been observed. In some cases, preventive measures are taken to avoid a decrease in visual acuity.

People who spend a lot of time in front of a computer and laptop, this applies to both teenagers and adults, should visit an ophthalmologist annually, since the flickering of the monitor has an extremely negative effect on vision. In some cases, the doctor selects special glasses for working at the computer, but most often they prescribe moisturizing drops to prevent the eyeball from drying out.

People who have crossed the 50-year mark are required to visit an ophthalmologist, even if there are no vision complaints. People who have had eye surgery should also have regular eye exams.

Unfortunately, many people are extremely irresponsible about the health of their eyes, ignore annual examinations, forgetting that many diseases are asymptomatic, but over time lead to deterioration of vision, in extreme cases even to blindness.

Unfortunately, the statistics of eye diseases in children are not encouraging. More than 60% of children already have vision problems in their first ten years. Eye diseases can negatively affect not only the quality of life and mastery of educational material, but also health in general, because the eyes are an indicator of the condition of the entire body.

Fortunately, pediatric ophthalmologists come to the rescue. Below we will look at when and how often children should be shown to an ophthalmologist, what a good pediatric ophthalmologist should be able to do, and what criteria does he pay attention to? when examining the condition of a small patient.

Pediatric ophthalmologists: how often to visit them?

A pediatric ophthalmologist sets himself the task prevent the development of diseases and preserve the children's vision. A vision test is a basic procedure during an annual preventive medical examination. That is, you need to show your child to an ophthalmologist at least once a year.

It is recommended to make the first visit to the ophthalmologist when the child is one month old. At the age of up to one year, you can get tested at 2-3 months, six months and directly at one year. In the future, the child can be examined at 3, 5 and 7 years. Such precautions will help to diagnose many diseases in a timely manner, and as a result, preserve and correct vision, avoiding potential negative consequences. An eye examination is also necessary. before entering school or kindergarten.

But if you notice something suspicious, you need to immediately contact a specialist, even if unscheduled, since inflammatory processes in children manifest themselves specifically and progress quickly. If treatment is taken in a timely manner, then vision problems with correct and prompt treatment are usually resolved quickly and effectively, without serious interventions.

Children need regular examinations at risk, namely:

• Children whose parents have vision diseases;
• Children born prematurely;
• Children whose relatives have glaucoma.

In what cases should a child be taken to a pediatric ophthalmologist?

In addition to the annual examination, if you notice any of the following circumstances in your child, better make an appointment and check again. Here they are:

What does a good pediatric ophthalmologist look for?

What should a qualified doctor be able to do?

• Prescribe the correct treatment based on the principles of evidence-based medicine and modern scientific works.
• Select contact lenses or corrective glasses after first determining the child’s visual acuity.
• Correctly interpret the symptoms that appear. For example, mucus in the corners of a baby's eyes does not necessarily confirm the presence of conjunctivitis; there is a possibility that this is dacryocystitis of newborns, in which obstruction or narrowness of the lacrimal canal appears.
• Promptly detect the disease and take action. In some cases, the child’s complete recovery and complete prevention of negative consequences in the future will depend on this. For example, timely diagnosed and relieved accommodative spasm will not turn into a more serious stage - myopia. Glaucoma stopped at a young age will not impair vision in adulthood. In addition, in childhood, ophthalmological operations are more effective and less traumatic.

How to choose the best pediatric optometrist?

It is impossible to say for sure which ophthalmologist is best for the child, since a lot depends on the specialization. Some doctors are experts in working with newborns (congenital cataracts, retinopathy, and so on), others successfully use hardware vision correction (for strabismus and amblyopia), others are specialists in the field of correction of eyelid pathologies, and so on. That is, you need to choose a doctor based on the existing problems.

conclusions

It is recommended to visit a pediatric ophthalmologist at least once a year, as well as in front of the school and kindergarten. However, in educational institutions a full medical examination is carried out annually, and a visit to an ophthalmologist is mandatory by default. Until the child is one year old, it would be useful to be examined at 2-3 months, and then at six months.

Children who are at risk (those with diseases that can have a negative impact on the eyes, as well as parents and relatives with eye pathologies) should visit an ophthalmologist more often. If there is the slightest sign of eye problems, complaints from a child or suspicion of injury You should immediately go to a pediatric ophthalmologist, as timely treatment will avoid serious consequences in the future.

A baby's first meeting with an ophthalmologist begins immediately after he is born. But this is not at all the “vision test” that a person will encounter in the future. This is just a check for the absence of pathology. After all, for example, with regard to visual acuity, most newborns have farsightedness, which, with the normal development of the child, goes away over time.

The baby is growing up

So, for example, if up to 1 month a child saw everything around him rather vaguely, now he can already fix his gaze for up to half a minute on the sweet faces of his loving parents, a cheerful bright rattle or a chandelier, playfully sending a cheerful greeting to the baby. And by the age of 10-11 months, dramatic changes occur again, bringing with them a significant expansion of the baby’s visual field.

We went... and came to the ophthalmologist

On the threshold of school

If everything is fine with the child’s vision, then the next “control” vision test is usually done at the age of 6 years, before the child goes to school.

We check every time we cross the classroom

School time brings not only new knowledge, but also a high load on the child’s eyes. Therefore, regular vision examinations during school years are simply necessary. Experts recommend doing it every two years.

So that in your third decade your eyes are fine

Between the ages of 20 and 30 (if there are no problems), it is enough to have your eyesight checked just once. But, if suddenly a person notices the appearance of unusual sensations, for example, fog or spots in the eyes, then it is extremely reckless to ignore a visit to the ophthalmologist or put it on the back burner.

How many times should those over thirty go to the doctor?

After thirty years, you should begin to pay special attention to your vision. Between 30 and 40 years of age, even people with good eyesight are advised to visit an ophthalmologist at least twice. This will help prevent many problems from occurring in the future.

After forty – vigilance is especially high

After forty, it is useful to resume school traditions, and visiting an ophthalmologist once every two years should become mandatory. If there are problems with blood pressure, then the frequency of visiting the doctor should be even higher.

For elderly people

For older people, an annual visit to the ophthalmologist is recommended. This is due to serious age-related changes: the orbicularis oculi muscle, which is responsible for the elasticity of the eye lens, weakens, and the conjunctiva and sclera of the eye are significantly transformed. And it is precisely the regularity of visiting a doctor that can meet these changes “fully armed.”

The main thing is that at any age it is important to remember that the frequency of visits to the ophthalmologist should in no case be scary. After all, it is much more important to keep your eyes healthy and your vision sharp!

To maintain eye health and good vision for many years, it is very important to be regularly examined by a specialist. Almost all modern optical shops are equipped with an optometrist's office, so it is very easy to carry out a systematic check.

The frequency of vision testing depends on a number of factors: the patient’s profession, his working conditions and, of course, age. Another important factor is the general condition of the body, since all processes in it are interconnected. Thus, diseases of the cardiovascular system affect blood supply, including to the organs of vision.

Eye examination by an ophthalmologist for children

Each child, on average, until the age of sixteen, undergoes the formation of the body, and the organs of vision are no exception. That is why children belong to a separate category of patients. However, most eye diseases in childhood are much easier to cure than in adults.

Testing a child's visual acuity depends on his current age. Ophthalmologists recommend the following frequency of eye examinations for children:

• from birth to three years - once a year;
• from four to six years - two to three times a year (this is a very important period in the formation of a child’s vision; the child begins to put a strain on the visual system as he learns to read and watches TV more often or is at the computer);
• from seven to sixteen years - once or twice a year (in the presence of high activity and chronic diseases, perhaps three times a year).

How often should an adult have their eyes checked?

Every adult should have their vision checked at least once a year, even with ideal eye and body health. However, there are some peculiarities.

If a person’s work involves regular use of a computer, it is necessary to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist once a year.

For example, students and teachers who spend a lot of time studying textbooks, notes, and research projects need to take even more care of their vision. Constant use of gadgets can lead to chronic spasm of the ciliary muscle, which is responsible for focusing vision. Subsequently, this can lead to deterioration of distance vision.

Drivers, especially long-distance drivers, are also at risk of contracting the disease described above. Because concentrating on the road for a long time, especially in bad weather conditions, the visual system is overstrained.

Experts strongly recommend that people in professions such as builders or welders be examined once every six months, this is due to the fact that they work in difficult conditions (sharp flashes, bright light, dust).

Remember that good vision is something that a happy and healthy person cannot do without. If, nevertheless, you have identified violations, choose only high-quality means for its correction: glasses or. A good ophthalmologist will select the best treatment option for you and write out the necessary prescription. Frequent checks are also necessary in order to identify current vision parameters, since they can change for the better or for the worse.