Paediatric Ophthalmology Unit

A child may suffer from diseases similar to those suffered by adults or from other childhood diseases. Lazy eye (amblyopia), strabismus and congenital diseases are just some of the disorders treated by this Unit.

Monitoring of premature babies is particularly important to detect and successfully treat retinopathy of prematurity. 

Specialised ophthalmologists and optometrists work very closely together in paediatric health care. At our institution, we have created a special children's facility at ICO2 (Vía Augusta 48).

The Paediatric Ophthalmology Unit with the participation of Dr Silvia Gamboa.

The Paediatric Optometry Area is run by Carmen Alesón with the assistance of Cristina Hernández, Bernat Tarragón. One of the most noteworthy areas within this Unit is our Visual Therapy department where we see more and more children every day with learning disabilities and visual processing disorders that are affecting their school performance.

What is studied and treated by this Unit?

• Lazy eye (amblyopia)
• Strabismus 
• Nasolacrimal duct obstruction
• Prematurity
• Children's eye tests
• Malformations
• Congenital cataracts
• Trauma 

10 ophthalmic tips for taking care of your baby:

1. We usually recommend that your child should have their first eye exam between the ages of two and a half and three years. There are, however, risk factors and symptoms that may require that the examination be done before then.
2. Some diseases during pregnancy may cause eye problems for your baby.
3. If your baby was born prematurely, there is a greater chance of ophthalmic problems. To put your mind at rest, take your baby to see a paediatric ophthalmologist.  
4. If your baby's eyes do not look straight from the age of six months, we recommend seeing an ophthalmologist. 
5. If there is a history of ophthalmic problems in your family, such as strabismus, the need to wear glasses, lazy eye and especially very different vision strengths in your two eyes, your child should have an eye exam sooner, at around two years old.
6. Tearing problems in babies are very often due to congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. However, it can sometimes be a sign of a more serious eye disease, such as congenital glaucoma. 
7. If your child has red or itchy eyes, styes or a facial tic, he/she may need glasses.
8. A child who squints one eye or twists their head to look at things may have a major visual problem.
9. A healthy eye with perfect vision may sometimes hide the visual disorder of the other eye.
10. If a child with an eye disease is not seen at an early age, we may be too late to treat it and restore the loss of vision.