Childhood Cataracts
A cataract refers to the opacity of the lens of one or both eyes. Congenital cataracts happen in utero and become more apparent during a child’s first year of life. Due to the clouding of one eye, infants with congenital cataracts may not see very clearly in the affected eye. In addition, from the onset, the brain will find it challenging to make both eyes work together. As a result, children with cataracts are more likely to have uncoordinated eye movements and poor eyesight.
Children with lazy eye due to a congenital cataract may also experience other eye issues, including vision loss and retinal detachment. By establishing routine eye exams for children with lazy eye, doctors can prescribe the necessary interventions to treat existing symptoms and prevent lazy eye from getting worse.
Infants with congenital cataracts have gray or white pupils in the affected eye. In addition, the lazy eye may look like it is covered in film or showcase white spots within the pupil.
Many risk factors contribute to the development of cataracts in children, such as infections before and after birth. Diseases that cause congenital cataracts include syphilis, rubella, chickenpox, cytomegalovirus, herpes, and HIV.
