Dr Read has a special interest in treating and managing childhood squints, as well eyelid problems, including congenital ptosis, or other congenital eyelid issues and eyelid trauma in children.
Many of Dr Read’s younger patients are referred by optometrists after they’ve been diagnosed with complex refractive problems.
What are complex refractive problems?
According to the World Health Organisation, around 153 million people suffer from visual impairment due to refractive issues that weren’t corrected or treated in childhood.
Refractive errors are fairly common amongst children. The issues are usually identified by an optometrist who discovers that the child’s eye cannot focus. Children with refractive errors commonly have blurred vision, or struggle to see objects clearly.
There are four common types of refractive errors including:
How are refractive problems treated?
Early diagnosis is key to ensuring refractive errors don’t cause continual degeneration of the patient’s vision. They are most often treated with spectacles, contact lenses and even refractive surgery. Your ophthalmologist will assess the issue, and recommend an effective treatment plan based on your lifestyle, age, and activity.
Can refractive problems in children be treated?
Yes, after referral, Dr Read will perform an assessment on the patient. Usually the patients are prescribed special eye drops and then a cycloplegic refraction is performed. These drops cause the pupils to dilate enabling the doctor to refract the patient with special lenses and light.
The patient is then referred back to the optometrist for spectacles if necessary.
