To protect the vision of children and adolescents aged 0 to 16 years, they should undergo regular eye examinations: at 1 year old, before starting school, and during their school years. However, if any of the following symptoms appear, it is necessary to immediately consult an ophthalmologist specializing in pediatric eye diseases (pediatric ophthalmologist): • Strabismus (crossed eyes) • Eye redness or tearing • Eye tremors • White spots or cloudy areas on the black pupil, which is usually black • Constantly focusing on close objects • Tilting the head to one side while observing • Frequent eye rubbing • Premature birth • Hereditary lazy eye (amblyopia) • Hereditary eye diseases Eye Diseases in Children Discharge and redness of the eyes In the first 15 days after birth, newborns may have eye discharge and redness. In such cases, it is important to know when the discharge started, its color, and its nature. Treatment should be started by an ophthalmologist. After 1–2 months, redness and discharge may not require special treatment. If it persists for 1–2 days, eye drops may be necessary. Sometimes eye redness can be related to the cornea. If a child squints or has watery eyes, an ophthalmologist should be consulted. Other eye diseases in children: • Refractive errors • Eyelid diseases • Cataracts • Corneal diseases • Glaucoma • Diseases of the retina and optic nerve • Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) Retinopathy of prematurity is one of the most important vision disorders affecting premature infants. In newborns, the blood vessels in the eyes develop until birth. In premature infants, this process is not complete and continues after birth. To save the lives of premature infants, high-concentration oxygen is used, which can cause abnormal vessel development in the eye. Ophthalmologic examination of premature infants should be performed in the 4th week after birth. For other children, the examination should be done at 1 year of age.