Raising a child is an incredibly difficult and rewarding job – we understand! Ensuring that your child’s health and development are going as planned is the most important part of the job. There are many specialists a child will have to see during the first few years of his/her life and sometimes you might not even know how to properly pronounce their name.
Therefore, to give you ease, our Livingston ophthalmologist answers the 5 most commonly asked questions. Now, in your own time you can learn about what it is that we do, what to expect from us, and why it is so important for you to make an appointment NOW!
What is a pediatric ophthalmologist?
The American Academy of Ophthalmology defines an OPHTHALMOLOGIST as a “medical or osteopathic doctor who specializes in eye and vision care. Ophthalmologists complete 12 to 13 years of training and education, and are licensed to practice medicine and surgery.” This rigorous, longitudinal and intense training gives ophthalmologists the ability to treat a hugely diverse and wide range of conditions. And this is what distinguishes ophthalmologists from optometrists and opticians.
General ophthalmologists are required to complete at least 4 years of specialty training after the completion of a medical degree. These years are split into a three-year residency in ophthalmology followed by at least a one-year internship.
A PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGIST is all the things an ophthalmologist is, but with a specialisation in evaluating and treating medical and surgical eye conditions in children. The Americal College of Surgeons categorise pediatric and strabismus (crossed eyes) ophthalmology into one sub-group. This is because doctors in both of these fields are often involved in both intraocular surgery and detailed eye muscle surgery. The latter requires the doctor to have a one-year fellowship.
What’s the right age for a child’s first eye exam?
You MUST visit our child eye doctor as soon as you suspect that your child is developing a vision problem – REGARDLESS OF THE AGE.
Otherwise, a general guideline recommends regular visits from infancy, especially if the child is at a high risk, for instance, prematurely born.The purpose of the visit is to diagnose any conditions as early as possible as for many only early treatments ensures full recovery.
Our ophthalmologist in Livingston recommends taking your child to an ophthalmologist for an initial check-up around the age of 3 to 4 years old. The examination will include measurement of visual acuity, eye alignment, motility, refraction, and fundoscopy (an examination of the back of the eye). However, early diagnosis is key, so do not hesitate to contact us if you suspect a condition to be developing.
How long will the eye exam take?
The first time your child visits our office a complete history is taken, followed by a thorough exam made up of multiple tests. This typically includes dilation of the eyes with eye drops and screening for refractive error (nearsightedness, astigmatism, etc.). Some children may take longer than others, depending on their age and cooperation, but a good rule of thumb is to allow 1 to 1.5 hours for your first visit.
Our Livingston ophthalmologist know how to deal with stubborn, uncooperative, scared, quiet and young patients, therefore your child’s personality should not hugely affect the length of the visit.
What types of surgery does a child’s ophthalmologist in Livingston perform?
Our children’s eye doctors are experienced medical doctors capable of carrying out many types of vision and eye related surgeries. We are highly trained to meet the medical needs of your children, whatever treatment their condition requires. Therefore, if you suspect your child is developing a condition, do not hesitate to contact us to see what WE can do FOR YOU! The most common surgeries conducted by our child eye doctors are:
- Strabismus, or eye muscle surgery – to straighten eye alignment
- Probing or irrigation of blocked tear ducts
- Eyelids and tissue around the eye surgery
My child sees 20/20, but still needs to wear glasses. Why?
If your child sees 20/20 with both eyes and still needs glasses, then he/she most likely has a type of strabismus called accommodative esotropia – explained in our recent article “What is strabismus?”. This condition commonly occurs when children’s farsightedness is not treated correctly. The American Optometric Association explains that the systems responsible for where they eyes point and eye focus are linked, hence as the child focuses extremely hard to see an image clearly, his/her eyes will cross. Therefore, their glasses are needed to keep the eyes straight, not to let them see.
If your child can see 20/20 with only one eye, then he/she has amblyopia (lazy eye), which is the condition when one eye has reduced vision as the brain and the eye are not working together. The National Eye Institute explains that strabismus can cause amblyopia. In this case, glasses are needed to compensate for the difference in the two eyes, allowing the brain to use both eyes to the same extent.
Our ophthalmologist in Livingston is a board certified strabismus surgeon, hence rest assured that your child’s vision and eye health are in the best hands!
About our Livingston Ophthalmologist near you!
Our exceptional doctors, Amy Lambert, MD, and Rachel Bloom, MD, are both board certified pediatric ophthalmologists. Dr. Lambert, the founder of Pediatric Eye Associates, LLc, is also a board certified strabismus surgeon, and Dr. Bloom is additionally fellowship trained. Our child eye doctors are experts at meeting your children’s eye and visual needs. We pride ourselves with the results we achieve with our patients and we believe the key is not just our medical expertise, but also attitude and patience with the children. Our motto is “to provide the highest quality eye care for children in a setting that is comfortable and reassuring.”
We understand that you will have many questions about our Livingston ophthalmologist, so if any of them are still unanswered, please refer to our FAQs page, or contact us. You can get in touch with us by:
- Visiting our practice
22 Old Short Hills Rd. Lower Level-1,Livingston, New Jersey 07039
Open hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 – 17:00
- Calling us on 973-422-1230
- Submitting the enquiry form on our contact us page
- Checking our facebook page – Pediatric Eye Associates, LLC
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
