KARACHI, June 13: One out of 1,000 children around Pakistan being blind in both eyes enhances the need for the prevention as often some of these diseases causing visual impairment also threaten the very existence of children.

Dr Shahnawaz Munami, Community Ophthalmologists, Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital, speaking on Childhood Blindness called upon parents to get their children regularly examined by an eye specialist.

“Every child must be examined by an ophthalmologists at least once in first year of life and before attaining the age of five,” he said.

Enumerating varied risks local children are generally exposed to, he said Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) was a major cause of blindness in children and that a child of pre-school age showing no sign of recent onset of night blindness, was found to be very week and ill needing urgent attention.

Dr Munami advised parents to ensure the use of dark green leafy vegetables on part of their children. According to him adequate breastfeeding, proper weaning and measles immunization at the age of nine months were important measures to prevent VAD.

“For critically ill children Vitamin A capsules can be obtained from the Community Eye Health, Ophthalmology Department of the CHK,” he said.

Congenital cataract, glaucoma, squint and injury were cited as other common factors causing childhood blindness. All these conditions could be efficiently intervened through timely prevention.

With regard to congenital cataract, the specialist said that timely surgery by trained ophthalmologist and the use of an Intra-Ocular Lens could restore the vision in most cases.

Squint (crossed eye) in a child, commonly noticed among children, if neglected was feared to cause permanent defective vision.

Amblyopia was stressed to be treated early in life, preferably before six years of age. If treated early could successfully lead to correction of blurred vision, help straighten the eyes and patching the good eye to force lazy eye to work.

Parents were particularly advised to ensure proper vigilance on their children at home and while playing as handling of sharp or pointed objects like knife, pencil etc could be dangerous.

Injury to eye could have serious results, he said, advising that children must be prevented from playing with fireworks, arrows, darts, peashooters, pellet guns etc.

“In case vision is affected due to blunt injury, an eye specialist must be immediately consulted,” he said.

Accidental application of chemical is also a common instance. In given situation, affected people were advised to be immediately wash their eyes with clean water, continuously for about 20 minutes, followed by immediate referral to a qualified ophthalmologist.

Dr Shahnawaz Munami also referred to certain hereditary diseases causing incurable blindness among local children.—APP