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50
Treatment of Children under 5 years of age at the Orthoptic (Squint Training)
Clinic.
(1) Cases treated:
(a) Cured 1
(b) Under treatment at end of year 3
(c) Treatment commenced but discontinued on account of
removal from district 1
Number of cases being prepared for treatment 19
(2) Treatments:
(a) Case cured—(length of treatment 5½ months) 1
(b) Cases still under treatment:
After 8 months treatment showing a diminution of squint 1
After 8 months treatment showing no diminution of squint 1
After 6 months treatment showing no diminution of squint 1
Number of treatments given 70
In this section of the Ophthalmic Clinic, the majority of the eye tests were
required not on account of defective vision but because of squint. In children
under five years of age, it is quite possible to secure the co-operation necessary to
begin orthoptic training and such cases usually do well. The vision of the squinting
eye has not usually deteriorated and no preliminary treatment is required. Training
with pictures can thus be instituted immediately. It is our aim to cure those
children before schooling begins.
Expectant mothers attend the eye clinic complaining chiefly of headache.
In none of them were found any of the signs of toxsemia of pregnancy affecting the
eyes. Superficial inflammation of the eyes was present in some cases and it was
important that this should be remedied lest their infants should become infected.