T0day I had the opportunity to work out of the Cary Towne Center location. I got to shadow Dr. Besharat again, but today I got more insight on the practice’s protocol for pediatrics. Many of the machines they use on a average age human being are either too complicated or just too big for a small kid to use. They have to use basic technology on children. This includes using a book to test for colorblindness and using pictures instead of letters to adjust the child’s prescription. Additionally, they use a slightly different solution for dilation so that it can absorb through the child’s eye lid and the child won’t feel anything on their eye. From an anatomical standpoint, the biggest difference between an adult eye and a children’s eye is that the child has an extra layer around their retina. This extra layer is almost like saran wrap in that it is clear and it is like a film that is wrapped around the retina. This usually peels off as the eye develops with age. I also got to watch diagnoses of angle close glaucoma, blepharitis, as well as stage 2 cataracts. Up to this point no patient has had any of these conditions. I also got to observe a patient that had degeneration of the cornea. In this condition, the cells of the cornea peel off due to extreme dryness of the eye. The usual treatment is to use lubricating drops as well as a bandage type contact lens temporarily to avoid pain. In the long term, a corneal specialist will need to be seen. The below pictures are of the sign on the outside of the Cary practice and of the less complex machinery Dr. Besharat uses in a pediatric setting to evaluate the inside of the eye and the overall health of the eye.