Hyperopia in children

Hyperopia in children - what is worth knowing?

Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, is a visual defect that is quite common in children, although it is not always immediately noticeable. With hyperopia, a child can see objects at a distance clearly, but has difficulty seeing close objects sharply. Although this defect can occur at different stages of life, hyperopia in children is governed by its own rules and requires special attention.

What is farsightedness in children?

Hyperopia in children, as in adults, is due to an abnormal eye structure. In a healthy eye, light rays are focused exactly on the retina, allowing for sharp vision. In hyperopia, light rays are focused behind the retina, resulting in blurred vision, especially when looking at close objects. A child's eye is usually slightly smaller than an adult's eye, which is one of the causes of hyperopia. In many cases, hyperopia in children is a natural feature of eye development and may decrease with age as the eyeball grows.

Physiological hyperopia

Physiological hyperopia is a natural condition that occurs in most newborns and young children. During the first few years of life, a child's eye is relatively small, causing light rays to focus behind the retina rather than directly on it. This type of hyperopia is not a visual defect in the sense of pathology - as the eyeball grows, the child's eye begins to focus properly, leading to the gradual disappearance of physiological hyperopia. In many children, physiological hyperopia resolves spontaneously by around 6 years of age. However, in some cases it may persist or develop into hyperopia requiring correction if the eye is not developing fully properly. Regular eye examinations are key to follow this process and identify any visual impairment.

Why does hyperopia occur in children?

Hyperopia in children is mainly genetic - if the parents had a visual defect in childhood, it is more likely that their child will also have hyperopia. The growth of the eye during the first years of life plays a key role in the development of this defect. In many children, hyperopia gradually resolves with age as the eyeball lengthens, but in some children the defect may persist or even worsen.

Symptoms of hyperopia in children

It can be difficult to diagnose hyperopia in a child, especially as children rarely complain about vision problems - they do not know that they could see better. Therefore, it is important for parents to look out for signs of vision problems. Symptoms of hyperopia can include:

• Squinting when looking at close objects,
• Difficulty concentrating when reading or drawing,
• Rapid fatigue on tasks requiring close-up visual focus,
• Headaches, especially after long periods of visual work,
• Avoiding activities that require looking close, such as reading books.

Niektóre dzieci z nadwzrocznością mogą także zgłaszać uczucie pieczenia lub swędzenia oczu, co często jest mylnie brane za zmęczenie lub alergię.

Eye examination for hyperopia in children

Wczesna diagnoza nadwzroczności jest kluczowa dla zapewnienia dziecku prawidłowego rozwoju wzrokowego i uniknięcia problemów z nauką. Eye examination u dzieci powinno być przeprowadzone już w wieku kilku miesięcy, a następnie powtarzane w regularnych odstępach czasu, szczególnie jeśli istnieje podejrzenie problemów z widzeniem. Podstawowym narzędziem do diagnozy nadwzroczności jest standardowe badanie okulistyczne, które obejmuje:

• Visual acuity test - the child reads the letters or looks at the pictures at different distances to assess how they see.
• Refraction test - allows us to determine how light refracts in the eye and whether it requires correction.
• Slit-lamp examination - the specialist assesses the condition of the cornea, lens and retina to rule out other vision problems.

Regular eye examinations are essential, even if your child does not show obvious signs of hyperopia. It is worth remembering that children may compensate for their vision problems by squinting or changing their posture, which delays the detection of the visual defect.

Ways of correcting hyperopia in children

Correction of hyperopia in children usually involves the wearing of corrective glasses. Depending on the severity of the visual impairment, glasses may be worn constantly or only during tasks that require sharp close-up vision, such as reading or studying. In some cases, especially in older children, they may also be used contact lenses.

It is also possible to use visual exercises to help the child better control accommodation, which is the eye's ability to focus its vision at different distances. These exercises are particularly useful in mild cases of hyperopia or as a support to other treatments.

W rzadkich przypadkach, gdy nadwzroczność jest bardzo silna i inne metody korekcji nie są wystarczające, może być rozważana interwencja chirurgiczna, jednak jest to ostateczność, której zazwyczaj unika się u dzieci.

Can farsightedness in children be treated by laser vision correction surgery?

Laserowa korekcja wzroku, choć jest popularną metodą leczenia wad wzroku u dorosłych, zazwyczaj shall not be used in children. This is because children's eyes are still developing and the eyeball grows and changes its refractive properties until it reaches full maturity. In children with hyperopia, it is crucial to follow how the visual defect changes with age, as in many cases hyperopia can spontaneously decrease.

Laser vision correction can only be considered once a child's vision has stabilised, which is usually after the age of 18. Therefore, the standard method of correcting hyperopia in children is corrective glasses or contact lenses, which help the child to see clearly while allowing for further vision development.

In exceptional cases, such as very high vision defects or defects accompanying other health problems, specialists may consider other interventions, but laser vision correction is not a standard solution for children.