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Paediatric Ophthalmology

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About Paediatric Ophthalmology

Gentle, Specialised Eye Care for Children

The Paediatric Ophthalmology service at Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research provides eye and vision care for newborns, infants, children and adolescents.

Children may not always be able to explain vision problems clearly. Concerns such as frequent eye rubbing, squinting, watery eyes, poor attention while reading, headaches, difficulty seeing the board, delayed visual response, or abnormal eye alignment may need timely evaluation.

Our ophthalmology team provides assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning and follow-up for common and specialised eye concerns in children, with a focus on early detection, child-friendly care and long-term vision development.

Conditions and Concerns We Treat

Our Paediatric Ophthalmology service supports children with:

  • Refractive errors
  • Difficulty seeing clearly
  • Squint or crossed eyes
  • Lazy eye or amblyopia
  • Paediatric cataract
  • Congenital eye concerns
  • Watering eyes
  • Blocked tear duct concerns
  • Eye redness or irritation
  • Allergic eye conditions
  • Dry eyes
  • Eye infections
  • Eye pain
  • Frequent rubbing of eyes
  • Headaches related to vision
  • Difficulty reading or seeing the board
  • Screen-related eye strain
  • Eyelid swelling or lid concerns
  • Ptosis or drooping eyelid
  • Eye injury
  • Vision concerns in children with developmental delay
  • Follow-up after eye surgery or treatment

Our Paediatric Ophthalmology Services

Child Eye Consultation

A child eye consultation helps assess vision, eye alignment, eye movement, eye health and symptoms affecting daily activities.

During consultation, the ophthalmologist may assess:

  • Vision clarity
  • Need for glasses
  • Eye alignment
  • Eye movements
  • Eye pressure where required
  • Eyelids and tear drainage
  • Cornea and lens
  • Retina and optic nerve
  • Symptoms such as redness, watering, pain or itching
  • Developmental or school-related visual concerns
  • Need for further investigations, glasses, patching, medicines, follow-up or surgery

The aim is to identify the concern early and guide parents on the next steps.

Vision Screening and Refractive Error Care

Children may need glasses if they have refractive errors such as difficulty seeing near or far objects clearly.

Refractive errors may show up as:

  • Sitting too close to the television or screen
  • Difficulty seeing the classroom board
  • Frequent headaches
  • Squinting while reading
  • Holding books very close
  • Poor school performance linked with vision difficulty
  • Eye strain or tiredness
  • Avoiding reading or close work

Early correction with glasses can support learning, reading, confidence and visual development.

Squint Evaluation

Squint occurs when both eyes do not appear aligned in the same direction. It may be constant or appear only at certain times.

Children with squint may need assessment for:

  • Eye alignment
  • Vision in each eye
  • Refractive error
  • Lazy eye
  • Eye movement
  • Need for glasses
  • Need for patching
  • Need for exercises or surgery where clinically appropriate

Early evaluation is important because untreated squint may affect visual development in some children.

Lazy Eye or Amblyopia Care

Lazy eye, also called amblyopia, happens when vision does not develop properly in one or both eyes during childhood.

It may be associated with:

  • Squint
  • Unequal power in both eyes
  • Paediatric cataract
  • Drooping eyelid
  • Delayed diagnosis of vision problems

Treatment may include glasses, patching, eye exercises, treatment of the underlying cause and regular follow-up, depending on the child’s age and condition.

Paediatric Cataract Evaluation and Surgery

Cataract in children may be present at birth or develop later. It can affect vision development if not diagnosed and treated in time.

Our ophthalmology team provides evaluation and treatment planning for:

  • Paediatric cataract
  • Congenital cataract
  • Reduced visual response in infants
  • White reflex in the eye
  • Poor visual development
  • Cataract-related lazy eye concerns
  • Post-surgery follow-up

Surgery and treatment planning are advised based on the child’s age, cataract type, vision impact, eye health and doctor assessment.

Watering Eyes and Tear Duct Concerns

Some infants and children may have persistent watering, discharge or stickiness of the eyes due to tear duct or infection-related concerns.

Evaluation may be advised if the child has:

  • Constant watering
  • Sticky discharge
  • Recurrent eye infection
  • Swelling near the inner corner of the eye
  • Redness or discomfort
  • Symptoms that persist despite basic care

Treatment depends on the child’s age, severity, clinical findings and underlying cause.

Allergic Eye Conditions and Red Eye

Children may commonly experience redness, itching, watering, swelling or irritation due to allergy or infection.

Paediatric eye care may support children with:

  • Allergic conjunctivitis
  • Recurrent red eyes
  • Itching or rubbing
  • Watery eyes
  • Eyelid swelling
  • Eye discharge
  • Light sensitivity
  • Eye discomfort

The treatment plan depends on whether the concern is allergy, infection, dryness, injury or another eye condition.

Eyelid and Anterior Segment Concerns

Children may need evaluation for eyelid, cornea, lens or front-of-eye concerns.

This may include:

  • Ptosis or drooping eyelid
  • Chalazion
  • Lid swelling
  • Cysts
  • Eye surface concerns
  • Corneal concerns
  • Anterior segment disorders
  • Paediatric cataract
  • Eye injury involving the front part of the eye

Treatment may include medicines, observation, minor procedure or surgery where clinically required.

Eye Injury in Children

Eye injuries in children should be assessed promptly, especially when there is pain, redness, swelling, bleeding, blurred vision or chemical exposure.

Urgent evaluation may be needed for:

  • Injury from sharp objects
  • Chemical injury
  • Foreign body in the eye
  • Sports-related injury
  • Sudden redness after trauma
  • Eye pain after injury
  • Reduced vision after injury
  • Swelling or bleeding around the eye

Early care can help reduce the risk of complications.

Diagnostic Support

Depending on the child’s symptoms and age, evaluation may include:

  • Vision assessment
  • Refraction testing
  • Slit-lamp examination
  • Eye alignment assessment
  • Eye movement assessment
  • Retina evaluation
  • Direct or indirect ophthalmoscopy
  • Tonometry where required
  • A-scan ultrasound where required
  • Keratometry where required
  • Visual field testing in older children where appropriate
  • Additional investigations based on clinical need

Investigations are recommended only when clinically appropriate.

Coordinated Care with Other Specialities

Children with eye concerns may sometimes need support from more than one specialist.

Our Paediatric Ophthalmology team may coordinate with:

  • Paediatrics
  • Neonatology
  • Paediatric Neurology
  • Child Development Clinic
  • Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrics
  • Diabetes and Endocrinology
  • ENT Care
  • Imaging and Diagnostics
  • Anaesthesia
  • Paediatric Surgery
  • Emergency services

This coordination helps provide comprehensive care when eye concerns are linked with developmental, neurological, endocrine, newborn, injury-related or systemic health conditions.

Our Approach to Paediatric Eye Care

At Sitaram Bhartia, paediatric eye care is planned with patience, sensitivity and attention to the child’s comfort.

Our approach includes:

  • Child-friendly eye evaluation
  • Early detection of vision concerns
  • Age-appropriate testing
  • Clear explanation for parents
  • Personalised treatment planning
  • Focus on long-term visual development
  • Judicious use of investigations
  • Surgery only when clinically required
  • Regular follow-up for chronic or developmental eye concerns
  • Coordination with other specialists where needed

The goal is to protect vision, support development and help children function better at home, school and daily life.

When Should You Consult a Paediatric Ophthalmologist?

You may consider consulting a paediatric ophthalmologist if your child has:

  • Difficulty seeing clearly
  • Frequent eye rubbing
  • Squinting or crossed eyes
  • White reflex in the eye
  • Watering or sticky eyes
  • Recurrent redness or itching
  • Eye pain
  • Frequent headaches while reading or using screens
  • Difficulty seeing the classroom board
  • Holding books or screens too close
  • Poor visual response in infancy
  • Drooping eyelid
  • Eye injury
  • Delayed visual milestones
  • Known developmental or neurological concern with vision difficulty
  • Family history of significant childhood eye problems

Seek urgent care if there is sudden vision loss, eye injury, chemical exposure, severe eye pain, sudden swelling, or redness with reduced vision.

Doctors and Care Team

The Paediatric Ophthalmology service is supported by ophthalmologists, paediatricians, nurses, diagnostic teams, anaesthesia teams and other specialists where required.

The team works together to provide child eye consultation, vision assessment, squint evaluation, lazy eye care, paediatric cataract evaluation, eye infection care, eye injury support, surgery planning and long-term follow-up.

Why Choose Sitaram Bhartia for Paediatric Ophthalmology?

Child-Friendly Eye Care

Children are assessed with patience and age-appropriate methods so that eye evaluation is as comfortable as possible.

Early Detection of Vision Problems

Timely evaluation can help identify refractive errors, squint, lazy eye, cataract and other concerns that may affect visual development.

Comprehensive Paediatric Eye Evaluation

The service supports vision testing, eye alignment assessment, refraction, anterior segment examination, retina evaluation and follow-up planning.

Support for Squint and Lazy Eye

Children with squint, amblyopia or unequal vision can receive assessment, treatment planning and follow-up guidance.

Paediatric Cataract Care

Children with suspected paediatric or congenital cataract can receive evaluation, treatment planning and follow-up.

Coordination with Paediatric Teams

Care may be coordinated with paediatrics, neonatology, paediatric neurology, child development, anaesthesia and other departments where needed.

Clear Guidance for Parents

Parents receive explanations about diagnosis, treatment options, glasses, patching, medicines, surgery, follow-up and warning signs.

Care Across Childhood

The service supports newborns, infants, children and adolescents with age-specific eye and vision concerns.

Meet Our Team

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Dr. Digvijay Singh

Visiting Consultant,
Paediatric Ophthalmology

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Dr. Anurag Badhani

Visiting Consultant

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