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Astigmatism in children
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Astigmatism often occurs in healthy children. Recall that carrying out off-axis retinoscopy in newborns promotes overdiagnosis of astigmatism. The degree of astigmatism, as a rule, decreases during the first year of life. By the age of 8, in most children, in the absence of a combined pathology of the cornea (for example, keratoconus), the degree of refractive astigmatism usually acquires stability.
Significance of astigmatism in children
The main significance is the relationship of astigmatism with amblyopia and strabismus. With astigmatism, comorbid disorders can occur, including:
- corneal pathology (eg, keratoconus);
- hypoplasia of the optic nerve;
- ptosis;
- congenital motor nystagmus.
Astigmatism of a high degree may accompany a certain general pathology, including:
- albinism;
- fetal alcohol syndrome;
- pigmentary retinitis.
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Treatment of astigmatism in children
Treatment of patients with direct astigmatism and astigmatism of a weak degree is not difficult. Treatment consists in:
- the appointment of spectacle correction;
- contact correction / gas permeable or soft toric contact lenses;
- refractive surgery - in patients of childhood it is usually not shown.