Investigating and managing the child with special needs.

Children with disabilities are much more at risk of eye and vision problems than are able children. These problems can take the form of 'optical' defects such as refractive errors and poor accommodation. Thus children with all forms of special needs not only have a right to Optometric services, but have a greater need than the rest of the population. This paper presents recent data on the defects found specifically in children with Down's Syndrome, (but likely to occur in other children) and provides general guidelines for Optometrists working with children with special needs.