Protect Your Peepers!
Comprehensive Eye Care for Children
of this initiative is earlier detection of pediatric brain tumours, such as DIPG, in young children. However, it comes with the benefit of maintaining good overall eye health for your child.
"A comprehensive eye exam ...can often be the first line of detection of a brain tumour" -Dr. Lee, DO, BSc
Our hope is that with earlier detection of childhood brain tumours, we will:
- Increase survival rates with earlier intervention
- Provide greater symptom-free survival times
- Gain insight into the biology and etiology of childhood brain tumours before they are in aggressive progression
- Find viable treatment options that lead to a cure
Comprehensive Eye Exams for Children
Ensure Your Child Receives a Quality Eye Exam
1.) Do Your Homework
- Check the Optometrist's qualifications
- Check the clinic's reviews
- Check the information the clinic provides on their website
You can also use the doctor locator from the BC Doctors of Optometry website to find an optometrist in your area.
2.) Ask Questions
- Ask what a comprehensive pediatric eye exam includes at their clinic and compare it to our list below
- Ask ahead of time if pressure testing or other brain tumour detection tests are available for young children
Young children do not need to know how to read to have an eye exam. The Optometrist will use the Tumbling E chart or Lea Symbol system (shapes) for the exam.
Not All Eye Exams Are Comprehensive Eye Exams!
It is important for parents to understand that vision screenings conducted at school and vision evaluations provided by the child's doctor are NOT comprehensive eye exams and do not adequately assess a child's overall eye health and visual abilities.
"All children should receive a comprehensive eye and vision examination assessing and treating any deficiencies in ocular health..." -Canadian Association of Optometrists
Warning Signs
Book a comprehensive eye exam if your child is suffering with any of the following symptoms:
- Red, itchy or watering eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- An eye that consistently turns in or out
- Tilting their head to see better
- Squinting, rubbing the eyes, or excessive blinking
- A lack of concentration
- Covering or closing one eye
- Irritability or short attention span
- Holding objects too close
- Avoiding activities that require near vision, such as reading or coloring, or distance vision, such as playing ball or tag
- Visible frustration or grimacing
- Complaining of headaches or tired eyes
Please follow Monkey Crew Against D.I.P.G. on Facebook to stay up to date on our Protect Your Peepers Campaign and Childhood Cancer Awareness Initiatives. For more information about D.I.P.G., the Monkey Crew and Sevanah's story visit Monkey Crew Against D.I.P.G.
For my fellow research enthusiasts:
Clinical research supports the theory that pediatric eye exams can be an effective, non-invasive tool to detect brain tumours in young children.
Ocular manifestations of brainstem tumor
Ophthalmic Features of Outpatient Children Diagnosed with Intracranial Space-Occupying Lesions by Ophthalmologists
Eye findings in paediatric brain tumour - data basis for a follow-up proposal
Ophthalmic Features of Outpatient Children Diagnosed with Intracranial Space-Occupying Lesions by Ophthalmologists
Eye findings in paediatric brain tumour - data basis for a follow-up proposal
Torticollis in children: an alert symptom not to be turned away
Eye Exam Leads to Life-Saving Diagnosis for Little Boy
Doctors of Optometry Canada
Some encouraging stories:
