Early diagnosis and treatment is vital for many paediatric eye conditions. Any eye condition raised during routine health checks, such as those by a maternal and child health nurse or GP, should be taken seriously and a prompt eye examination carried out.
All children should have their eyes tested at pre-school age. This can be done by a paediatric optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Eye health issues for children include:
If in doubt, always seek prompt medical attention to reduce the risk of serious complications.
Some of the common symptoms associated with childhood eye conditions include:
It is possible to assess an infant’s vision, so if you have any concerns about your infant’s vision you should seek a review by an ophthalmologist. It is recommended that children have a full eye examination with an optometrist at 3 years of age, and then every 2 years as they progress through primary and secondary school. You should also take your child for an eye check if you notice any issues with their eyes or eyesight.
Screen time includes time watching or interacting with any electronic device – e.g. computers, TVs, mobile phones, tablets and video game consoles. Set acceptable limits for screen time and ensure children take short breaks for at least 5 to 10 minutes every hour. Make sure the room is well lit and reduce glare and reflection from lights or windows.
Encourage your child to spend time outdoors every day, even during winter. Australian research shows increasing exposure to outdoor light is a key factor in reducing the risk of becoming short-sighted.
Recommended screen time guidelines
They might tilt their head when looking at something, or frequently blink or rub their eyes. You might find they have difficulty reading or hold the book or screen close to their eyes. Other signs include squinting or having difficulty seeing an object or someone in the distance. They might also complain of headaches or blurred vision.
Make sure children wear good-quality, UV-rated, wraparound sunglasses and broad-brimmed hats when they are outside to protect eyes from excessive UV exposure. While this is particularly relevant during sunny weather and other bright, glary conditions (e.g. at the snow), UV exposure can still be high during overcast days.
Learn about UV and sun protection times in Australia
Provide a healthy diet with lots of fruit, vegetables and fish.
Always seek prompt medical attention if your child suffers any eye injury or trauma to reduce the risk of complications.
For a full reference list, visit the children’s eye health FAQ page.
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Your child should have a comprehensive eye examination with an optometrist from around 3 years of age, unless an eye problem is noticed prior to this. If there are any concerns, your child may be referred to an ophthalmologist for further investigation and/or management. Early detection of any eye problem will ensure prompt treatment and help to minimise any vision loss or visual dysfunction.
Tests that may be performed during a paediatric ophthalmology exam include:
In order to carry out the next part of the testing, your child’s pupils are dilated with eye drops.
It’s important to remember that some eye conditions such as refractive errors, lazy eye (amblyopia), congenital cataracts and congenital glaucoma are life-long conditions. Ongoing review appointments are required, especially in the first few months after diagnosis and as the child gets older and their visual needs change.
If your child has a refractive error (e.g. short-sightedness, astigmatism or long-sightedness), he/she will be prescribed corrective glasses. Contact lenses are an option for older children (e.g. if their glasses interfere with sports). However, they will only be prescribed for occasional use.
Children with a lazy eye require therapy and exercises to strengthen the weaker eye. This treatment is usually overseen by an orthoptist. The type of treatment will depend on the degree of amblyopia, the age of the child and the duration of treatment.
Many children with a lazy eye may have ‘patching’ therapy, where a patch is put on their normal (good) eye for a few hours a day to promote visual focus in the weaker eye work. If you have a child with lazy eye, Vision Eye Institute specialist Dr Jason Cheng helped create a children’s book (Amazing Amber and her Lazy Laser Eye) to provide a basic understanding of the condition and to normalise patch therapy.
Atropine eye drops may also be used to achieve this result. If atropine drops are used, please remember to keep them out of the child’s reach at all times.
Importantly, your child’s vision will be tested to determine if he or she needs to wear glasses as well. Regular checks are required to monitor this condition.
Misalignment of the eyes, or strabismus, requires intervention as early as possible to prevent irreversible vision loss later in life. Lazy eye may result from having crossed eyes.
Treatment options include:
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition, but may include some or all of the following :
Most children diagnosed with childhood cataracts are able to live a full and normal life. The aim of management in this condition is to maximise the child’s vision. This may be achieved in the initial stages with glasses, but surgery may be needed in the following years. Infants and children under the age of 5 years are at risk of severe visual loss, so surgery may be considered early for these patients.
Initially, eye drops or oral medication may be prescribed to lower the pressure inside the eye. However, surgery is often the mainstay of treatment for this disease. There are several types of surgeries that can be considered and these will be discussed appropriately by your ophthalmologist.
A child with an eye injury or eye trauma should be taken to your GP, ophthalmologist or hospital emergency department immediately. If you are coming to one of our clinics with an emergency, please ring ahead and notify us so that we can be prepared for your arrival and institute emergency procedures where necessary.
First aid instructions for an eye injury
Your GP can determine if the conjunctivitis is viral or bacterial. Most cases, even if bacterial, are mild and resolve by themselves. Generally, you will only be referred to an ophthalmologist if there are complications, or if the condition does not improve or worsens.
The information on this page is general in nature. All medical and surgical procedures have potential benefits and risks. Consult your ophthalmologist for specific medical advice.
Date last reviewed: 2023-06-30 | Date for next review: 2025-06-30