1st visit to Eye Centre & Dentist

Last weekend (2 weeks before his 3rd birthday), he had his 1st visit to eye centre and dentist for checks.

Review from Dental Visit: His baby teeth are all out and the dentist gave clearance for his teeth condition, no decay and helps to remove a slight stain on his 2 front tooths! :)

I was prepared to hear a crying & trembling Samuel but he did not cry at all, thumbs UP! He lie down on the arm chair on his own and let the dentist checked his teeth. Only has to continue to brush his teeth everyday which he is already doing it.

Review from Eye Centre: He has astigmatism of 400/each eye, slight long sightedness in his right eye and squirt on his left eyes – tends to squirt out and up.
Verdict: He has to wear glasses to correct his vision!!

My heart sank upon hearing this piece of news although we were prepared way before the visit as he went to see my optometrist friend at the optical shop for a test prior to KKH Eye Centre. No amount of preparation helps in preparing me to face this piece of news, imagine a toddler at age 3 having to wear glasses(and it could be for long term basis).

What causes Astigmatism?
The cause of astigmatism is often not known. Astigmatism is usually present from birth. A small degree of astigmatism is considered normal and usually does not require any correction.
Rarely astigmatism may be caused by chronic vigorous eye rubbing (such as in children with allergic conjunctivitis) or by cornea diseases such as keratoconus.
How do I correct my Astigmatism?
Astigmatism can be corrected with corrective lenses such as in spectacles or contact lenses. These vision aids help to focus the light entering the eye onto the retina. Other ways to correct astigmatism include refractive surgery options such as LASIK and implantable contact lenses.
Symptoms of Astigmatism in children
· Distorted or blurred image at all distances. More on blurred vision.
· Children may tilt or turn their head to get a clearer image. It results in headache or tired eyes.
· Inability to see objects, both near and far, without squinting.
· Discomfort or irritation in eyes.
· Difficulty focusing on printed words or lines.

Causes of Astigmatism in Children
Under normal conditions, eyes are spherical in shape. The cornea is smooth and equally curved in all planes. The light that enters the cornea is focused equally in all directions. Since, it refracts evenly, it forms a clear image of the object. Change in corneal shape gives rise to astigmatism. It occurs when the front surface of cornea is curved more in one direction than in the other. The cornea takes the shape of a football or the back of a spoon. When light enters the cornea, it gets refracted more in one direction than in the other. This forms the image of only a part of the object at one time. Objects, placed at any distance, appear blurry and wavy. Astigmatism occurs mainly due to genetic predisposition. It may also develop as a result of some sort of traumatic eye injury or surgery.

For now, he needs his pair of glasses so that he can see clearer so that this will not be a stumbling block to his learning abilities. No more squeezing of the eyes when he watches tv or when he looks at objects or people. At least comforting to hear that this can be remedied via aids and it is not life threatening.

Still….I choose to praise God in all situation & circumstances, knowing God is in control. God is good all the time and ALL the time, God is good!