I Spy Healthy Eyes

Created by Julie Babikan, a local multimedia designer/illustrator, the new release of the Smart System software (version 2015) includes four colorful, whimsical videos to help fixate young children. They are called Dancing Giraffe, Skating Octopus, Juggling Polar Bear and Fiddling Sheep.

While we’re on the subject of children’s vision, here is a re-posting of some eye facts every parent should know:

• Amblyopia (“lazy eye”) is poor vision in an eye that may appear to be normal. Two common causes are crossed eyes and a difference in the refractive error between the two eyes. If untreated, amblyopia can cause irreversible visual loss in the affected eye. Amblyopia is best treated during the preschool years. •
• Strabismus is a misalignment of the eyes; they may turn in, out, up, or down. If the same eye is chronically misaligned, amblyopia may also develop in that eye. With early detection, vision can be restored by patching the properly aligned eye, which forces the misaligned one to work. Surgery or specially designed glasses also may help the eyes to align.
• Refractive errors mean that the shape of the eye doesn’t refract, or bend, light properly, so images appear blurred. Refractive errors also can cause amblyopia. Nearsightedness is the most common refractive error in school-age children; others include farsightedness and astigmatism: – Nearsightedness is poor distance vision (also called myopia), which is usually treated with glasses or contacts.
• Farsightedness is poor near vision (also called hyperopia), which is usually treated with glasses or contacts.
• Astigmatism is imperfect curvature of the front surface of the eye, which is usually treated with glasses if it causes blurred vision or discomfort. Most of the eye problems listed above can be detected by a visual acuity screening during the preschool years. Other eye conditions require immediate attention, such as retinopathy of prematurity and those associated with a family history, including:
• Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor that usually appears in the first 3 years of life. The affected eye or eyes may have visual loss and whiteness in the pupil. • Infantile cataracts can occur in newborns. A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens.
• Congenital glaucoma in infants is a rare condition that may be inherited. It is the result of incorrect or incomplete development of the eye drainage canals before birth and can be treated with medication and surgery.
• Genetic or metabolic diseases of the eye, such as inherited disorders that make a child more likely to develop retinoblastoma or cataracts, may require kids to have eye exams at an early age and regular screenings.

We’ll be rolling out the new software version over the summer months to all our current customers.

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