By Steve Roberts 

Contact lenses for children  and regular sight tests from an early age can ensure their eyesight develops properly and problems like Esotropia - more commonly known as cross-eyes - are either avoided or addressed at an early stage. In the case of Heidi, the American opossum who was left outside an animal shelter in North Carolina in the US along with her sister, Naira and then taken to Germany where she now resides in Leipzig Zoo, officials believe the creature's cross-eyes could be related to the diet she had before being abandoned or because she is overweight which can lead to fat deposits around the eyes. Because of her Esotropia, Heidi is now a media star in Germany and boasts her own Facebook page with 70,000 fans.

Esotropia is a form of "squint" in which one or both eyes turns inward and the condition can occur intermittently or be constantly present. It is sometimes wrongly referred to as "lazy eye", which describes the condition of Amblyopia -a reduction in vision of one or both eyes although the latter can, however, arise as a result of Esotropia occurring in childhood. Given that the majority of Esotropia conditions typically begin in childhood between the ages of 2 and 4, this emphasises the importance of having children's eyesight checked regularly, starting as early as possible. This will ensure that any adverse condition is identified and corrective treatment - such as special glasses or contact lenses for children  - is undertaken before the condition worsens.

Early sight tests can enable conditions like Myopia (short-sightedness) to be detected and treatment commenced so that the child's early academic experience is not adversely affected by an inability to see clearly what teachers write on the board at the front of the classroom. Such a common occurrence can often affect a child's confidence and personal development and if left untreated the condition will continue to worsen. This is where overnight corrective contact lenses for children  can play a significant role in both correcting their Myopia and stopping it from worsening. As a nocturnal animal, Heidi uses her nose as much as her eyes for getting around successfully but children need their full vision and hence the importance of having their eyesight checked.

Check if you and your children are suitable for overnight corrective contact lenses .