Emily Cottingham, Author at Resource Library - Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

What is colour vision deficiency? Colour vision deficiency is a difficulty in distinguishing between colours. This is different from colour blindness which means that someone cannot see any colour at all, and this is very rare. If you have been diagnosed with a colour vision deficiency, you are...

What is an intermittent exotropia? An exotropia is an eye muscle condition where one or both of the eyes (not both at the same time) can drift outwards to the side. It is not painful and generally young children are unaware that this is happening. An intermittent exotropia is where the eye drifts to...

What are electrodiagnostic tests? Electrodiagnostic tests involve using special sensors called ‘electrodes’ to record the tiny electrical responses that are produced by the eyes and the brain when your child looks at flashing lights or moving patterns. These electrical responses can be...

Both our eyes and brain are responsible for helping us to see. Our eyes collect pieces of visual information from our surroundings and our brain puts them together to form an image, a bit like putting pieces of a jigsaw together. How does prematurity affect my child’s vision? Babies who are born...

Ryegate Children’s Centre Your child has been seen by the neurodisability team at Ryegate or referred by a member of the team. This may have also been via the school vision screening team. As part of that pathway we arrange an eye test and an appointment for you to attend. The eye test will...

What is myopia? Myopia (short sightedness) is a condition that causes distance objects to be blurred, while close objects are seen clearly. Myopia can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or laser eye surgery in adults. Approximately 1 in 3 people are myopic. Symptoms usually appear in older...

It is important that you fit your prism in the correct orientation so please check the prism for where it is marked ‘BASE‘. In your case the prism needs to be positioned BASE OUT. This means that the part marked BASE needs to be positioned towards the arm of the glasses. You can also...

It is important that you fit your prism in the correct orientation so please check the prism for where it is marked ‘BASE‘. In your case the prism needs to be positioned ‘base in’. This means that the part marked ‘base’ needs to be positioned towards the nose...

What is a stereogram exercise? It is an exercise for  your child’s eyes to help them work together as a pair more effectively. This can prevent headaches or double vision. A stereogram is 2 incomplete images which you join to make 1 complete image. How do I use it? Hold a pen or target at…...

What is a stereogram exercise? It is an exercise for  your child’s eyes to help them work together as a pair more effectively. This can prevent headaches or double vision. A stereogram is 2 incomplete images which you join to make 1 complete image. How do I use it? Hold a pen or target at…...

How does prematurity affect my child’s vision? Both our eyes and brain are responsible for helping us to see. Our eyes collect pieces of visual information from our surroundings and our brain puts them together to form an image, a bit like putting pieces of a jigsaw together. Babies who are born...

How do we see? What we see is made up of 2 parts: our eyes and our brain. Our eyes collect pieces of visual information from our surroundings and our brain puts them together to form an image or scene, a bit like putting pieces of a jigsaw together. There are lots of different areas… Continue...

What is astigmatism? Astigmatism, pronounced ‘ah-stig-mah-tism’, is a type of refractive error, like longsightedness (hypermetropia) and short sightedness (myopia). Refractive error means that the light coming into the eye cannot be properly focused because of the size or shape of the...

Your child has been made an appointment at The Ryegate Ophthalmic Clinic to a consultant ophthalmologist or an optometrist. The first part of the appointment will be to see the orthoptist. They will check your child’s vision and find out if the eye muscles are working correctly. This may have...

This resource is intended to provide information about the uveitis transition service provided by the transition team at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. What is the purpose of a uveitis transition clinic? The transition clinic is aimed for young people over the...

What is a meibomian cyst? A meibomian cyst is a type of fluid-filled cyst in the upper or lower eyelid that is often felt as a small lump. What causes it? There are lots of tiny oil glands just under the inner surface of the eyelids, called meibomian glands. These make an oily fluid to…...

Why do I have to wear a patch? You have one eye that can see really well, but the other cannot see very well. We would like you to wear your patch every day to help your eye get better. The eye under the eye patch has a rest and your other eye has to… Continue Reading How to use my eye patch

What is an esotropia? Esotropia means the tendency for the eye to drift in towards the nose. What is an accommodative esotropia? Accommodative esotropia is where one or both of someone’s eyes have a convergent squint (inward turn) with hypermetropia (long-sightedness). This video from the...

What is the optic nerve? The optic nerve transmits images from the light sensitive layer (retina) at the back of the eye to the brain. The brain interprets these messages so you can see. What is the optic disc? The optic disc is the point at which the optic nerve joins the eye. This is…...

What is vision screening? NHS Sheffield has designed a service for vision screening as children begin primary school. This service takes on the UK National Screening Committee recommendations. An orthoptist, a specialist in testing children’s eyes, from Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust,...

My child has just been diagnosed with a visual impairment, what do we do now? When your child is diagnosed with a visual impairment it can be a difficult and overwhelming time. We aim to answer as many questions as possible at your appointment, however it is likely that when you leave the hospital...

What is convergence insufficiency? Convergence insufficiency is the inability or lack of ability to keep the eyes straight when reading or doing close work. The eyes tend to drift outwards causing double vision. Trying to control the double vision can lead to headaches, blurred vision, difficulty...

Your child has been found to have an eye condition called ‘intermittent exotropia’ at their school vision screening test. This is nothing to worry about and we will explain more about this condition in this resource. What is the school vision screening test? All children in Sheffield are...

What is a squint? A squint is when one eye appears straight and the other turns in, out, up or down. To make this better, you will need an operation. You will have to go to sleep for this. What will happen on the day of surgery? When you arrive at the surgical theatre you… Continue Reading...