Question
A baby was diagnosed with severe astigmatism a week ago, and atropine eye drops were prescribed. A week later, a follow-up examination revealed a downward vision issue. The child had only astigmatism before and no downward vision problem, with an OD of 2.5 and OS of 2.0. What should be done?
Answer
Astigmatism refers to the condition where light entering the eye cannot form a single focus on the retina but instead creates two perpendicular focal lines within the eye. This is usually caused by differences in the refractive power of the cornea and the anterior surface of the lens, and sometimes it is hereditary. When astigmatism is present, patients may experience symptoms such as eye fatigue, headaches, unstable vision, difficulty focusing on objects for extended periods, and double vision. Atropine eye drops are used to relax the ciliary muscle for more accurate vision testing. The downward vision issue may be due to a temporary change in vision caused by the atropine eye drops.