 |
|
|
|
Men's Health | Women's Health | Children's Health | Elder Health Holistic Health | Healthy Heart | Cancer | Weight Loss Exercise & Fitness | Healthy Resources | HOME PAGE Health Club 101 DIRECT Natural Supplements | HGH Energizer | Eazol Natural Pain Relief | Revitol Cellulite Solution IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Menopause Symptoms Relief | Insomnia Sleeping Aid Articles & Information Medicine | Nutrition | Exercise | Fitness Equipment | Pregnancy Bodybuilding Supplements | Weight Loss | Breast Cancer | Diabetes Category Site Map |
 |
Treating Lazy Eye in Older Children
Many eye doctors believed until recently that if a child's vision was impaired because of a "lazy eye," the condition could not be corrected past the age of six or seven years. However, a study funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, has found that amblyopia or "lazy eye" treatment can be effective in children age seven through 17. In fact, many of the 517 children studied at 49 eye centers showed improvement in their vision. "Age alone should not determine whether or not to treat," said Michael Repka, M.D., a pediatric ophthalmologist at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and a co-author of the study. Even teenagers benefit from treatment, said Repka. Amblyopia is a common cause of vision loss in as many as 3% of children in the US. During infancy or childhood, the vision loss occurs when the brain favors one eye over the other. The other healthy eye does not receive brain input, limiting visual development. The most common causes of 'lazy eye" are nearsightedness, farsightedness, or a crossed or wandering eye (strabismus). The reason vision in the amblyopic eye improves is due to the brain's plasticity, says Susan Cotter, O.D., a pediatric optometrist at the Southern California College of Optometry and co-author of the treatment study. Neuroplasticity means the brain can change with learning. By forcing the unused eye to work, the brain will process the sensory information and adapt. As a result, vision improves. Children in the study were divided into two groups, randomly selected. One group wore only prescription classes. The other group either wore glasses and an eye patch or glasses, an eye patch and eye drops. The latter group was also instructed to read, draw, or do other close-up activities as well since "near-vision activities are visually stimulating," says Cotter. The patch, eye drops and close-up work forced the test subjects to use their amblyopic eyes. Children wore the patch for two to six hours per day. Children 12 years and less also used eye drops. However, "eye drops blur the eye all day which is why the teenagers wore only patches, which could be removed while driving," says Cotter. If children in the study could read two more lines on the eye chart with the amblyopic eye, the treatment was considered successful. According to the National Eye Institute, 53% of children in the study ages 7 through 12 who wore glasses and a patch for 2-6 hours per day, and did near-vision activities could read two or more lines on the eye chart after 24 weeks. But only 25% in this age group could do the same. Twenty-five per cent of children ages 13 through 17 who wore eye glasses and a patch had improved vision whereas 23% who wore only glasses improved. Of those children in this age group who had been previously treated for amblyopia, 47% who wore glasses and a patch and did close-up work had improved vision. On the other hand, only 20 % improved who were treated with only glasses. "This study shows how important it is to screen children of all ages for amblyopia," said study co-chairman Richard W. Hertle, M.D., Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. If children also have strabismus and will undergo surgery to correct the eye muscle imbalance, they should be treated first for amblyopia, says Cotter. "Surgery doesn't help amblyopia. If the child has surgery and amblyopia still exists, one eye with 20/100 vision, for instance, will be blurry; consequently it will be difficult or impossible for the brain to fuse the two images together into one," says Cotter. Atropine eye drops may serve to improve compliance because the child doesn't require monitoring. Adhesive patches are also used to increase compliance in young children as it is difficult for them to peek. "Children can't be monitored all day," says Cotter. Although the adhesive patch is hypoallergenic, some children with sensitive skin experience irritation when the patch is removed. So some doctors allow their patients to switch to cloth patches. Cloth patches with side shields still block vision in the affected eye. The number of hours that the children wore their patch was through self report. "This is a real world, treatment effectiveness study," says Cotter. "I do the same clinically." A new study is planned to learn about the effects of near-vision activities on amblyopia. Sources: Article reviewed by Diana Clarke is a teacher and health educator. Her articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines, such as the San Jose Mercury News and the World of English.
MORE RESOURCES:
Men's Health
|
Women's
Health |
Children's
Health |
Elder
Health
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Watch Out for Misleading Pharmaceutical Advertising In 1997, the Food and Drug Administration relaxed the rules for drug advertising on television and radio. Since that time, the airwaves have been flooded with commercials for all sorts of drugs. Ingrown Toe Nails Medical Treatment Medical Care:Treatment options depend on the stage of ingrown toenails, medically known as onychocryptosis.Stage 1 can be managed by recommending shoes with a comfortable wide toe box or open-toed shoes. Drug Abuse In Teens: Online Drug Abuse Identification Help Teen drug abuse is at an all time high, but not in the same way that most people might assume. Parents are accustomed to hearing about teens doing everything from huffing chemicals to smoking weed, popping ecstasy, and even injecting heroin. Vioxx Personal Injury Lawsuits Personal injury attorneys representing clients who have allegedly been harmed by the prescription drug Vioxx are congratulating themselves over a historic judgment rendered recently. On August 19, 2005, a judge awarded the family of Bob Ernst $253. Infants and Acid Reflux Infant acid reflux is quite common. People of all ages, especially infants because they consume only liquids or soft foods, suffer from mild heartburn or acidic regurgitation on occasion. Implant Dentistry - The Convenient and Safe Alternative to Dentures If you are missing a tooth or a group of teeth, you may find that you are afraid to smile, you don't like to speak because you think you sound funny, or you may not be able to eat certain foods that you enjoy. Until recently, your only option was to replace these missing teeth with dentures. Viagra Users - Overcome NAION Fear NAION is the latest side effect linked to Viagra and other ED drugs. It is a condition which results from a painless swelling of the optic nerve that causes rapid reduction in vision. Bextra Recall: Lawyer Says Help Is On The Way By now, you have probably heard of the prescription drug Bextra. You may not know, however, why that a recall is in order. The Lower Cost Prescription Drug Alternative Today in the United States, there are hundreds of thousands of people who do not have and cannot afford adequate health care coverage. Sadly, many must pay out of pocket for medical treatment of any kind, not to mention much needed prescriptions. The Power of Ice Using ice to treat injuries is one of the oldest methods of pain control. Proven to be safe and effective at reducing swelling, relieving pain and decreasing muscle spasms, ice therapy is an easy self-care technique that anyone can administer. Environmental Medicine Our modern preservatives and other pollutants like yellow dye no. 5 have caused bodily responses which detract or impair the natural process of our system. Treatment for High Blood Pressure The treatment of high blood pressure is one of the most important areas of modern medicine. Good quality care and blood pressure treatment can reduce the risk of death, the risk of stroke and the risk of heart attack or coronary disease. Natural Vitamin E Combined with Vitamin C for Treatment of Alzheimers Disease Checklist of Treatments for Alzheimer's DiseasePart 2 of 82. Vitamin E combined with Vitamin C. Building A Medical Spa Inside Your Existing Medical Practice The physicians conundrum:Everywhere, physicians are contemplating or engaged in expanding into the "medical spa" market. Seduced by the media buzz around this hot new phenomenon, many doctors see the medical spa as a means boosting their income and eliminating the growing grind and countless headaches of their daily practice. How Safe Do You Feel Going To Hospital To Be Cured There has been a lot of concern in Australia over the performance of an overseas trained Doctor that had been made Director of Surgery in a regional city.Currently there is a Commission of Inquiry into the allegations that have been made against this Doctor and in the interim report that has been released and passed to the State Government, there are serious concerns that this Doctor could face charges of Murder, because at the moment, there is evidence that at least 87 people have died as a result of surgery performed by this Doctor. You Are Getting Very Sleepy....The Truth about Hypnosis A hypnotic "trance" is not something that is foreign to us--we've all been so absorbed in thought while reading a book or watching a movie that we fail to notice what is happening around us. These focused states of attention are similar to hypnosis. Three Questions People Are Asking About Health Care in America Q. Why is there so may uninsured people in America?A. "Do you suffer from Osteoarthritis? Here's how to tell!" The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA). This type of arthritis is commonly referred to as wear and tear arthritis or degenerative arthritis. Pagan Medicine: Then and Now A time will come when our children's children will look back upon the age of "modern" medicine of the 21st century as paganistic witchcraft, foisted upon ignorant masses of people. May God rightly judge those who corrupted His ministry of healing and killed His children. 10 Home Remedies For Arthritis Pain Relief Your Remedy No. 1==============Stretch Gently for Strength and Mobility.
|
|
home | site map Men's Health | Women's Health | Children's Health | Elder Health Holistic Health | Healthy Heart | Cancer | Weight Loss Exercise & Fitness | Healthy Resources |
|
|
