Three groups of questions from pedoophthalmology

Overview

The author informs about three groups of ophthalmological problems in childhood. Serious ophthalmic diseases are already diagnosed in newborns. Eye affections of different etiology occur in the whole course of childhood. All these diseases might influence the educational process. Lacrimal duct obstruction occurs already in the maternity hospital and it is important to differentiate the secondary conjuctival irritation from ophthalmia neonatorum. The treatment procedure comprises a conservative part, incl. massage of lacrimal ducts and application of eye wash, and surgical procedure, incl. lavage and probing lacrimal ducts. The symptoms of atopy on eye may occur already in toddlers. Collaboration with an allergologist and a proper sellection of eye medicaments in particular periods of the disease is the necessary part of the treatment. The following medicaments may be used – sympathomimetics, antihistaminics, protective immunotherapeuticals, corticosteroids and combined medicaments which have both protective influence and antihistaminic effect. The basic problems of pedoophthalmology comprise diagnostics and proper treatment of strabismus and amblyopia. The basic treatment procedure should be finished before the beginning of school attendance because the development of binocular vision is already established at this period. The fresh pupil should have his/her refractive defect well corrected and the possible surgical correction should be resolved.

Key words:
lacrimal duct obstruction – ophthalmia neonatorum – eye allergy – strabismus – binocular vision – amblyopia