Angie's LIST Guide to
Pediatric ophthalmology

Pediatric ophthalmology covers many eye problems. For example, infections of the eye are often referred to an ophthalmologist to make sure the infection does not affect the vision or damage the eye. A simple infection can do a lot of damage if it isn't treated properly.

Another common problem is strabismus, which occurs when the eye or eyes turn upward, outward, down or inward. When the eyes turn in this way, the condition is commonly called cross-eye and is usually corrected with surgery.

Amblyopia, another common condition known as lazy eye occurs when the vision in one eye is better than the other, causing one eye to compensate more and allowing the other eye to become lazy. Treatment often involves an eye patch worn over the dominant eye to help strengthen the weaker one.

A blocked tear duct can occur for many reasons, but it must be addressed promptly so it doesn't become a bigger problem. This can be treated with drops and an antibiotic.

The drooping or falling of the upper or lower eyelid is called ptosis. The drooping may become worse if a person is awake for long periods of time. This condition should be treated at a young age to avoid larger problems.

A pediatric cataract is a clouding that develops over the eye that can be seen as a white film over the eye. It effects vision and needs to be addressed, as it only gets worse with time, eventually leading to complete vision loss. Cataracts are almost always corrected with surgery, though eye drops may be used if the cataract is minor.