Your children's health is of primary concern for you, which is why it is so important to take them in for regular medical checkups. For example, you ensure that they receive the best optical care. The optometrist you visit probably does the traditional exam to ascertain whether your children need a new eyeglass or contacts prescription.
Yet, more can be done. For parents who want their children to receive some of the most comprehensive optical care possible, there is the ophthalmoscope retinal exam. This procedure will provide the attending eye doctor with more information to help your child than what is possible through the regular checkup techniques.
What is the Traditional Exam?
Regular exams focus on the front of the eye. Optometrists conduct them to establish the right eyewear prescription, for example. This level of observation proves sufficient in some cases. However, there are children who have underlying conditions that require a more thorough look. It is these children for whom the retinal exam would prove most beneficial.
The problem is that it is impossible to know if there are latent conditions without first using this sort of more involved procedure; consequently, for parents who want assurance that their children are free of latent eye diseases, the retinal option is a wise choice.
How Does an Ophthalmoscope Procedure Differ?
The ophthalmoscope exam is a full retinal screen, done using laser technology. Doctors receive a view of around 80% of the retina in each scan. Thus, this examination provides optometrists with the ability to diagnose eye diseases before they fully form, which is an obvious prevention advantage.
Types of eye diseases often detected by a retinal exam include:
cancer
diabetes
glaucoma
Quick, effective and painless, the ophthalmoscope exam is virtually without any problems. Of course, any parent can understand the benefits of a hassle-free exam. Even children of a young age will sit still through the retinal screening process.
Find an Optometrist Today
When it comes to your child's eye care needs, sparing no resources is the best course of action. Relying on the standard examination may be enough if obtaining prescription eyewear information is the main objective. However, to find those unseen complications that can cause havoc in the future, an ophthalmoscopic retinal exam comes recommended.
Locating an optometrist experienced in performing retinal exams is easy, because most list their practices on the Internet. Contact a center like Bergh-White Opticians, Inc. for more information.
Share
14 October 2015
Vision problems can be sneaky. When my daughter started having trouble in school, nobody thought that the problem could be with her vision. She wasn't complaining about not being able to see ; she was acting out instead. Plus, she could read the eye chart. It took a lot of trial and error to realize that while she could see, her eyes weren't working together correctly. She needed vision therapy to get herself back on track. I started this blog to share information with other concerned parents about how vision affects learning. Don't let a vision problem sneak by you and impact your child's education.