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Previous questions and answers
Children should be seen at age 6 months, then yearly starting at age 3.
School-aged children should be getting eye exams every year by an Optometrist. In Ontario, children 0-19 can get one OHIP-covered eye exam a year. If follow-ups are necessary, those visits are also covered.
Dr. Angela Yoon, HBSc, OD
Children do not always know when they are not seeing as clearly or as efficiently as they should. The only way to be sure that your child has normal vision and good eye health are to book an examination with an optometrist.
Dr. Angela Yoon, HBSc, OD
Not necessarily. Children with vision problems often do not realize they have a problem, especially if only one eye is affected and the other eye is normal. Many conditions affecting the eye and visual system do not have obvious signs or symptoms.
Dr. Angela Yoon, HBSc, OD
Some examples include: one eye turning in or out, squinting, rubbing of eyes, headaches, near-work avoidance, holding objects very close to the face, and closing/covering one eye.
Dr. Angela Yoon, HBSc, OD
Yes. Undetected and untreated vision problems often cause reading difficulties and can cause the same signs and symptoms that are commonly attributed to issues such as ADHD, dyslexia, and speech problems.
Dr. Angela Yoon, HBSc, OD
It’s a visual condition where near objects may be seen clearly, but distant objects are blurry.
Dr. Angela Yoon, HBSc, OD
Myopia can be managed with glasses, contacts, or surgery. Myopia control is an area of optometry that aims to slow the progression of myopia in children, and this can involve special-design glasses and contacts, as well as medicated eye drops. There is no cure for myopia, though surgical options may be an option when the condition has stabilized in adulthood.
Dr. Angela Yoon, HBSc, OD
While there are no sure-fire ways to prevent myopia, spending more time outdoors in wide-open areas during daylight hours may reduce your risk of developing myopia.
Dr. Angela Yoon, HBSc, OD
I have had a stye on both my eyes for the past two months. I went to see a doctor at the walk-in and was prescribed eyedrops. It did not do anything. What should I do now?
To answer your question, you should always visit an optometrist whenever you have an eye related issue. They have much more specialized education on the eye and have the ability to treat many medical related eye issues.
Once you visit your optometrist they will be able to determine if the bump on your eyelid is an internal/external hordeolum (stye) or if it has progressed to a chalazion. Both can look similar to the untrained eye, but have different methods of treatment.
If in fact it is a stye, you’ll most likely experience tenderness and swelling. Over time the inflammation can resolve and a firm benign nodule will be left. The size of the nodule can vary and it typically disappears within a month. If a few months have passed and the nodule is still there it means fibrous tissue has formed.
Your optometrist will also be able to prescribe the proper treatment for your stye. Some treatments include, topical and/or oral antibiotics, warm compresses or even surgery. If your stye is small and is not bothering you it can just be watched.
I recommend you book an appointment with your optometrist as soon as possible to determine the severity of your stye and the proper treatment.
If you don’t have an optometrist, feel free to use OAO’s find-a-doctor tool to locate one near you.
All the best,
Dr. Wes McCann, OD
I have a maybe weird question. My daughter has behavioural delays, sensory problems, and motor delays but no diagnosis. We’re still searching for answers, but something that’s always bugged me is that she randomly gets this drooping/swollen eye on her right side. She’ll also have tears from just the one eye. Could you just reassure me that it’s probably nothing? It’s happened to her sporadically ever since she was a toddler. She’s not allergic to anything. Her doctor thinks she has ADHD and that I’m grasping at straws. Anyway, thanks for your time.
Your question is not weird at all!
I will first address your primary concern, which is your daughter’s swollen lids/eye lid droop. Swollen lids can often indicate an allergic reaction, or an infection of the eyelids and surrounding area. If infected, you will often see other eye signs, like:
- Discharge from the eye
- Redness
- Watery eyes
- Pain/tenderness
- Recent onset of the cold or flu
- Itching
- Swelling
- Tearing
Sometimes you might need the help of an antihistamine (a type of medicine used to treat common allergy symptoms).
Other eye conditions like blocked tear ducts (the opening where tears flow out) and chronic styes (a condition where the oil gland in your eyelid becomes blocked and infected by bacteria) may also be to blame. In fact, if the stye is on the upper lid it could give the appearance of being swollen.
In any case, I highly recommend an eye exam by your local optometrist. A drooping lid can also indicate a more serious concern with your daughter’s brain nerves.
I also wanted to address your other concern, which was about a possible ADHD diagnosis related to your daughter’s motor and sensory delays. I recommend that your daughter have a binocular vision examination by an optometrist. This exam assess whether or not a patient’s eyes are working together. Sometimes signs of a vision problem mimic ADHD symptoms and are prevalent in children with developmental delays.
If you do not have an optometrist, feel free to use our Find a Doctor tool to locate one near you.
All the best,
Dr. Angela Peddle, OD
I have developed dry eye after a corneal injury. My corneal epithelium has healed now but my eyes still have a burning sensation. My tear break up time is currently 2 seconds. However, last year it was 10 seconds. Is this going to become a chronic condition or can I expect it to resolve itself?
Corneal injuries can vary in impact both in the acute period (the time to heal the initial injury) and in the long term.
It is possible that after the acute injury has healed, the tissue is more susceptible to inflammation and further damage. Ultimately, once the eye is in this cycle of inflammation it can affect other parts of the tear layers even at a chemical level.
I would urge getting an appropriate assessment of your ocular surface and tear system by your optometrist who will be better able to assess for dry eye disease and suggest an appropriate treatment plan. It is important to have it assessed early as with any condition, early diagnosis leads to more effective treatment.
If you don’t have an optometrist, you can use OAO’s find-a-doctor tool to locate one near you.
All the best,
Dr. Richard Maharaj, OD
