Overcoming Fitting Challenges Fitting contact lenses for children can require problem-solving and patience from the ECP. One of the biggest challenges is gaining the child’s cooperation during the fitting process. Younger kids may be anxious or scared about having something put in their eyes, which can make insertion and removal tricky. Eye care professionals should … Continued
It may not always be possible to create an immediate rapport with a child, but here are some handy ideas to begin the process: Fitting contact lenses for infants and toddlers requires special care, as their eyes and visual needs are still developing. A common reason for fitting contacts in very young children is aphakia, … Continued
Special Considerations for Infants and Toddlers Although the data gathered during routine exams is much the same for children as for adults, the methods for gathering the information must be changed. Infants, preschool children, and children who are non-verbal may respond to pointing and matching games. A standard refraction is not possible in the non-verbal … Continued
Fitting Contact Lenses for Pediatric Patients Fitting contact lenses for children involves more than just choosing the right lens. It requires a thoughtful approach to each child’s unique eye health, maturity level, and specific vision needs. While there are no age restrictions for contact lens wear in children, contact lenses are not risk-free. Some children … Continued
Elective Uses Beyond therapeutic or medically necessary reasons, contact lenses offer convenience and flexibility for children who lead active lifestyles. For kids involved in sports or outdoor activities, contact lenses provide a much wider field of vision than glasses, without the worry of frames getting in the way or being damaged during play. Contacts eliminate … Continued
Case Studies and Trials In the Adolescent and Child Health Initiative to Encourage Vision Empowerment (ACHIEVE) study, the impact of contact lens wear on a child’s self-perception was examined over a 3 year period. The study determined myopic children between the ages of 8 and 11 were more likely to have improved self-perceptions of their … Continued
Anisometropia Anisometropia occurs when the refractive error between each eye is significantly different; the brain will typically receive one fairly clear image and one blurry image. The dioptric difference between the eyes may result in differing image sizes when left uncorrected. The brain will give preference to the eye sending the clearer image and will … Continued
Strabismus and Amblyopia A child may have a mild misalignment of the eyes for up to 4 months of age. After that time, if the eyes continue to be misaligned, amblyopia could result. The brain is not receiving correct information from the misaligned eye and early intervention is required. Muscular misalignment, or strabismus, will cause … Continued
Hyperopia The hyperope experiences increased accommodative demand when doing close work, which can cause eye fatigue, headaches, and asthenopia (eye strain). This is especially problematic for a child who reads or studies for a large part of their school day. When corrected by high-plus eyeglasses, the potential problem of weighty glasses slipping down the nose … Continued
Other Developmental Factors Cognitive recognition of faces is formed early in infants. A study performed on face recognition in children discovered that infants between the ages of 18 and 24 months showed higher responses to their mother’s face than to a stranger’s face (Carver et al. 2003). Infants will scan facial components (schemata) and recognize … Continued
Eye Development in Children The human eye begins developing around the 22nd day of gestation and continues through birth. The process starts with the formation of optic grooves in the embryo’s brain, which eventually grow outward to form optic vesicles. These vesicles will later form key parts of the eye, including the retina and the … Continued
Little Eyes, Big Vision: Exploring Contact Lenses for Kids Introduction As an eye care professional (ECP), you play an important role in making sure that infants, children, and their parents are happy and satisfied with the care and quality eyewear that you provide. Clear vision is essential for a child’s learning, development, and overall quality … Continued
Click to download and print the course. To get the most out of this course, we recommend completing it in an environment free from distractions. Platform Instructions If you prefer to print the course and test questions, the PDF version is located below. Download & Print Courses are now broken down into Lessons. You can … Continued
‘A’ Measurement: The longest horizontal dimension of the eye wire ABBE Number or V-Value: Measures the possible chromatic aberration in a lens material Absorption: The amount of light trapped in an optical material when light passes through Administrative Safeguards: Policies and procedures designed to clearly show how compliance with the act is to be achieved … Continued
Resources Alonso J, Gómez-Pedrero Jm, Quiroga J. Modern Ophthalmic Optics. Madrid, Spain: Cambridge University Press. 2019: 301-22. Koeppen W. Progressive memories. www.wernerkoeppen.com. 2010. Whitney, R. American Optical history. www.dickwhitney.net/AOHistoryLensDesigners.html. 2011. Zeiss. How a patent filed by ZEISS set new standards for progressive lenses 30 years ago. www.zeiss.com/vision-care/us/better-vision/understanding-vision/how-a-patent-filed-by-zeiss-set-new-standards-for-progressive-lenses-30-years-ago.html. October 16, 2017. Santini B. Deep secrets. 20/20. … Continued