Of the 2,500 patients we see each year, more than 1,500 are infants and children. Much of the Foundation’s research is focused on pediatric eye diseases. Some of the most common childhood diseases for which research is underway include:

• Strabismus (crossed eyes)
• Congenital cataracts
• Amblyopia (lazy eye) – Our pediatric research team is in the midst of a study to evaluate several competing theories of amblyopia and to provide new insight into its development. These study results will enable us to design new visual function tests to identify infants and children with amblyopia and to provide more effective treatments.
• Retinopathy of prematurity (retina disease in premature babies)

In addition to studying the causes and potential cures for such childhood eye diseases, we constantly strive to create new technologies and preventive diagnostic tools that will improve the lives of children. One of the most astounding discoveries at the Retina Foundation was by Eileen Birch, Ph.D. She and her research team are credited with determining the importance of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an ingredient found in breast milk, for eye and brain development. Before this research, DHA was not found in baby formula. Today, formula containing DHA is sold worldwide.

Scientists in our Pediatric Eye Research laboratory study the development of human vision to better understand the factors important for supporting healthy visual maturation. They also work to develop better treatment protocols for ensuring optimal visual outcomes in children affected by congenital and early onset eye disorders.

In addition, we provide visual evaluation services for infants and children (based solely on physician referral) with various developmental or neurological problems that preclude the use of traditional vision tests. Evaluation results are provided to the child’s family, school teachers, therapists and eye care professionals.

Our pediatric research studies have led to:

• Improves vision for infants born with unilateral cataracts
• Innovative new tests for assessing acuity and binocular vision in infants and preschool children
• Identification of risk factors for esotropia (crossed-eyes) among far-sighted vision in children
• Development of strategies to rehabilitate binocular vision in infants with early onset eye disorders
• Identification of the best time for surgical treatment of infantile esotropia
• Discovered that DHA in mother’s milk is necessary for infant eye and brain development and helped create an enhanced formula containing DHA that is now sold worldwide.

Some of our current research on pediatric eye diseases include:

• The relationship between suppression and amblyopia in infants and young children with early binocular imbalance
• Motion processing in esotropia and its relationship with binocular sensory deficits
• The maturation of positional acuity in normal infants and pediatric patients with amblyopia
• Quality of life outcomes following treatment of early onset eye disorders
• Visual development in infants with nystagmus