Eyeglasses may play a critical role in proper vision development in children -GOA

Tema, May 20, GNA- The Ghana Optometric Association (GOA) has reiterated that glasses may play a critical role in the proper vision development of children at their early ages.

“Children may need glasses for several reasons, some of which are different from adults.

“Because a child’s visual system is growing and developing, especially during the first 5-6 years of life, glasses may play an important role in ensuring normal development of vision,” Dr Alfred Gardemor, GOA Public Relations Officer has revealed.

He was speaking on the theme: “Children’s Vision and Eye Health,” at the fifth Ghana News Agency-Tema Regional Office and the Ghana Optometric Association fortnight public sensitization initiative “GNA-GOA: My Eye! My Vision!”

The GNA-GOA: My Eyes! My Vision! The initiative also seeks to challenge the public and policymakers to focus on vision as a health issue, which forms a critical component of mankind’s wellbeing but is often neglected

Dr Gardemor who is also a Principal Optometrist and Head of the Optometric Center at the Nsawam Government Hospital said children may need glasses to ensure better vision.

According to him, it would help straighten the eyes when they are crossed or misaligned otherwise known as strabismus.

“This may occur when there is a difference in prescription between the two eyes anisometropia. For example, one eye may be normal, while the other eye may have a significant need for glasses caused by near-sightedness, far-sightedness, or astigmatism,” he noted.

According to him, the optometrist would then advise parents whether there is a need for glasses, or whether the condition can be monitored.

He said excessive gadget use and close work had shown to increase the risk of eye power increase hence it was equally important to cut down on screen time as much as possible.

On signs of vision problems, Dr Gardemor said children born with preterm had a higher risk of developing vision issues including children with developmental concerns and reading difficulty.

Others were parents or siblings with eyeglasses, visual complaints such as squinting, squeezing, and constant rubbing of eyes, going closer to the television or bringing objects closer to see, redness, watering, and itching of eyes.

The rest were abnormal head position to see objects, complaints of headache, eyestrain and seeing double, and eyes appearing to drift outwards or inwards.

Source: Ghana News Agency