Types of eye patches for kids and common conditions needing treatment

What are the conditions that require treatment with eyepatches?

The conditions that are most commonly treated with the patching of the eye are amblyopia and strabismus. Amblyopia occurs when vision is decreased in one of the eyes because the brain and the eyes are not working together properly. A patch is placed on the eye with the better vision so that the brain is trained to work harder with the other eye to increase the vision. Strabismus is the physical misalignment of the eyes. One eye is not looking straight but rather in another direction. This can cause blurred or double vision, eye strain and headaches. To treat strabismus or, crossed eye, a patch is placed on the eye that is looking straight. This will require the other eye to come back into alignment to make up for the loss of vision.  Eyepatches are also worn after any kind of eye surgery to protect the eye after the procedure.

What kinds of eye patches are there?

There are two main types of eyepatches. The first looks like a circular band aid that you can stick directly onto your child’s face. They come in various sizes for children of various ages. They also come in a large variety of fun colors and designs so that your kid can look great while they get the treatment that they need. The second type of eyepatch is used with children who wear glasses and need their prescription to see out of their other eye. This patch is made out of a soft cloth and it slips right over the lense of the glasses to block the vision of the eye that needs to be patched. The cloth extends over the top, bottom and sides of the lenses to ensure your child isn’t cheating and looking over or under the patch. These also come in a variety of designs and colors for your stylish kid!We carry many colorful eye patches for kids.


 

What if my child does not want to wear the eye patch?

This problem is very common because some children may find the patches uncomfortable or ugly and will resist to wearing them. The fact remains, though, that it is a necessary treatment and their condition could worsen over time so it is important to have the patch over the eye as directed by your doctor. The colors and designs that a lot of the eyepatches help with this because they are appealing to the children and can help ease them into the idea of wearing them. There are also several children’s books you can read to your child. The illustrations of different characters wearing eyepatches helps them see that it’s ok to have to be patched for a little while! Something our pediatric ophthalmologist, Dr. Warman, has done is have the children bring in a doll or a stuffed animal from home. After he patches a child, he will also patch their toy so that they feel like they have a companion that is also going through the same treatment. This way, they don’t feel like they are going through it alone. If your child will only need to wear the patch for a few hours each day, you can put on a movie or their favorite cartoons. This will not only help get their mind off of the eyepatch but they will be exercising the eye that needs treatment and you get to spend some quality time together!