Just like any other part of a child's body, the eye is continuously growing and developing after birth. This leaves children susceptible to different eye conditions or diseases. Catching conditions early is essential to preserving good vision and allowing for the development of healthy eyes. Children who grow up with eye conditions do not know they are seeing differently from others, so symptoms are most often caught by the adults around them.
Refraction refers to the bending of light. When light naturally falls in front of the retina due to a very long or powerful eye, this is called myopia (nearsightedness), resulting in blurry distance vision. When light falls behind the retina due to a short or less powerful eye, this is called hyperopia (farsightedness). Both can be corrected with glasses, contacts, or refractive surgery. Clear vision is the foundation to normal eye development. See your eye doctor to ensure your child is always seeing clearly throughout their early years and beyond.
Early detection is key. Many pediatric eye conditions are easier to treat when found early. Contact us to schedule a comprehensive pediatric eye exam for your child and ensure their visual system is developing correctly.
Amblyopia is widely referred to as "lazy eye." Babies develop into their 20/20 vision and are not born with it. During a critical period from birth to about 6–9 years old, any abnormalities in the visual system can result in a permanent decrease in vision. This can occur from untreated strabismus, uncorrected blurry vision, droopy eyelids, or cataracts. Treatment revolves around encouraging the weaker eye to be used by the brain through patching of the stronger eye, eye drops, or an occluding contact lens. Studies show that occlusion patching is successful if done before the end of the critical period.
Strabismus is a misalignment of the eyes. You may notice one eye is turned in (esotropia), out (exotropia), up (hypertropia), or down (hypotropia). This misalignment produces two separate images that the brain cannot fuse, so one eye is essentially ignored, preventing its development. Treatment may include contacts, vision therapy, prisms in glasses, or eye surgery. Accommodative esotropia is a type caused by uncorrected farsightedness, where the eye over-accommodates and converges inward. Glasses or contacts correct the alignment during use, but the turn may still be present without them.
Nystagmus refers to an uncontrollable jiggling of the eyes. The eyes cannot stay focused on one object, resulting in decreased vision. In children, it can be associated with aniridia, coloboma, achromatopsia, optic nerve hypoplasia, and severe refractive error. This typically starts around 2–3 months old. If nystagmus develops later (acquired nystagmus), it can be associated with medications, brain abnormalities, cancer, or other disorders. Schedule to see an eye doctor if you suspect your child has nystagmus to rule out serious conditions.
Retinoblastoma is the most common eye cancer in children younger than 5. It can appear in one or both eyes and typically remains in the eye. It can be hereditary with an increased association of secondary malignancies. It can be suspected if one eye appears white instead of red behind the pupil or if there are limitations in eye movements. Treatment involves surgery, chemotherapy, cryotherapy, light coagulation, or radiation. See an eye doctor immediately if you notice any whitening of the pupil.
Congenital cataracts are clouding of the crystalline lens upon birth. They can occur during pregnancy if the mother develops an infection such as rubella or herpes, or may result from diabetes, trauma, inflammation, or drug reactions. This is an emergent condition that must be treated immediately with surgery to remove the lens. A dense cataract prevents light and visual stimuli from entering the eye, which would result in a lack of normal vision development. An artificial lens may be inserted, or a contact lens may be used to help restore vision.
Congenital glaucoma involves abnormal development of the aqueous draining system of the eye. If the drainage system is not properly developed, this can result in increased eye pressure, which puts pressure on the structures that allow us to see, causing irreversible vision loss. If caught early, congenital glaucoma is associated with very few vision problems in the future. Treatment involves eye drops to control pressure or surgery, which is the main treatment option.
Some babies are born with a blocked tear duct which prevents tears from draining properly. The tears will pour over the edge of the eyelid onto the child's cheek, and the blockage can lead to infected and irritated eyes. Treatment typically involves a special massage technique to the inner corner of the eyes near the nose. If this does not work after a few months, surgery is performed to open the ducts. Tearing can also signify irritation from dust, pollen, or foreign bodies, or be present in dry eye or congenital glaucoma.
A child born premature (<31 weeks) who was put on supplemental oxygen is at risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Babies 1250 grams or less are at higher risk. When born early, blood vessels supplying the eye do not grow properly. Most babies with ROP will have normal vision until the disease progresses to severe stages where vision is threatened. Treatment includes lasers or injections of medications that prevent abnormal blood vessel formation. If your child was born premature, have them examined by an eye doctor.
Beyond common refractive errors and alignment issues, children can develop a range of other eye conditions. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to preventing permanent vision loss. Explore each condition below to learn about symptoms, causes, and treatment options.
4.9
Reviews
(84)