Congenital cataracts: symptoms, causes and treatment

Definition

What is a congenital cataract?

Congenital cataract is a congenital abnormality or defect when a baby's eye lens is cloudy or opaque from birth. This cloudy or blurry baby's eye lens can make it difficult for your little one to see things clearly.

The eye lens serves to focus the light entering the eye towards the retina so that the eye can capture images clearly.

However, if a baby has a congenital cataract, the light rays that enter the eye become scattered as they pass through the cloudy lens. As a result, the images and light that enters the eye become blurry and imperfect.

The baby's vision is said to be insensitive when he does not turn his head when someone is beside him.

Some of the types of congenital cataracts are as follows:

• Anterior polar cataract, located at the front of the lens of the eye and is generally associated with heredity. This type of cataract is often considered unnecessary surgery.
• Posterior polar cataract appears at the back of the eye lens.
• The nuclear cataract is located in the center of the lens of the eye and is the type that occurs most frequently.
• Cerulean cataracts usually found in both eyes of babies. Usually this type of congenital cataract does not cause vision problems. Cerulean cataracts usually associated with heredity.

How common is this condition?

Congenital cataracts in babies are rare birth defects or disorders. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, cataracts in infants from birth are estimated to cause blindness in 5-20% of infants and children.

Signs & Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of congenital cataracts?

Based on the Kids Health page, congenital cataracts in infants are generally characterized by symptoms of a gray or white color in the pupil (center) of the eye.

The entire black part of the eye appears to be covered by a grayish-white coating or the pupil is only visible a little.

Cataracts in babies can occur in one or both eyes at once. The grayish-white, opaque coating of a baby's eyes can sometimes become enlarged, affecting their vision even more.

Apart from making it difficult for babies to see, congenital cataracts from birth can also cause eyes like trembling and squinting.

Symptoms of congenital cataracts are usually not very visible or difficult to find in infants and children who are very young.

However, as the child gets older, he may complain of certain visual signs and symptoms that lead to cataracts. The various symptoms of congenital cataracts in infants and children are as follows:

• Blurry vision
• Blurred vision
• Visual ability is reduced
• Double view or see two images of the same object
• The light seems too bright
• The object's color looks faded

So, even though babies and young children have not complained about the symptoms of cataracts, you can pay attention to the characteristics. If you notice grayish white spots on the pupils of babies and children, this could be a sign of cataracts.

For clarity, try pointing a lit flashlight at your baby or child's eye to be sure. In addition, you can also observe possible cataract symptoms in babies and children by seeing their actions.

Take, for example, babies and children who have cataracts usually do not look at the face of the other person or the object directly.

Your baby may also squint and try to keep his eyes when he sees a light or light that is too bright.

When to see a doctor?

Congenital cataracts are conditions that can occur in newborns. If you see the baby has the symptoms above or other questions, consult a doctor immediately.

Cause

What are the causes of congenital cataracts?

Cataracts, which generally occur in the elderly, are usually caused by the aging process. Meanwhile, congenital cataracts that occur in newborns can be caused by:

• Heredity. The disorder occurs when the formation of proteins to support the function of the natural lens in the eye. Problems with the formation of these proteins can be due to infection and changes in DNA (the genetic code passed from parents to children).
• Infection. One of them is infection during pregnancy can also be caused by rubeola, chicken pox, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, poliomyelitis, influenza, Epstein-Barr virus, syphilis, and toxoplasmosis.
• Drug reaction. For example, tetracycline antibiotics are used to treat infections in pregnant women.
• Metabolic problems
• Diabetes
• Trauma
• Inflammation or inflammation

Risk Factors

What increases the risk of developing congenital cataracts?

Things that can increase the risk of congenital cataracts in infants is when parents have a genetic congenital cataract which then decreases in the baby.

You should further consult with your doctor to reduce the risk factors that you and your baby may have related to congenital cataracts.

Diagnosis & Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are the usual tests to diagnose this condition?

Most cases of congenital cataracts in infants can usually be diagnosed soon after birth.

Examination of newborns can help detect possible problems or disorders in your little one's body.

However, in some cases, congenital cataracts in infants can also go undetected for years. This is because in general young children cannot complain about their condition properly if there are problems with their vision.

Your job as a parent is to help recognize when your little one looks sensitive when seeing bright light and has trouble focusing.

After finding a problem, the doctor will perform a thorough eye examination of the child.

This eye exam may include light tests in both eyes, checking intraocular pressure (the pressure of the eyeball against the wall of the eyeball), and other test procedures. Doctors can diagnose cataracts in one or both eyeballs depending on the test results.

What are the treatment options for congenital cataracts?

If left untreated, congenital cataracts can obstruct vision or even cause blindness in children. Therefore, cataract surgery is needed as soon as possible.

However, not all congenital cataracts need surgery. Cataracts that only cover the edge of the eye lens may not need surgery.

The lens of the eye does not need to be removed because vision can still function without hindrance. Very small cataracts also may not need surgery.

Here are some things that need to be considered regarding congenital cataract surgery, namely:

1. Time of operation

Cataract surgery in babies must be done as early as possible to ensure that the baby's vision is sufficient to develop normally.

Some experts suggest that the time to perform congenital cataract surgery is between 6 weeks of age and 12 weeks (3 months) of age.

This operation is not without risks. The worst risk of cataract surgery can cause glaucoma which occurs when the pressure on the eye is too high.

After surgery, it can be difficult to predict whether your child's vision is better. Even so, in general, there will always be a chance that the eyes of a child with congenital cataracts have decreased vision.

2. Selection of visual aids

After surgical removal of the eye lens of a child affected by congenital cataracts, the child's eye lens can then be replaced with an artificial lens. Another option, children can also wear special contact lenses or wear glasses after surgery.

Without some of these corrective actions after surgery, your child's vision may decrease and the baby's normal vision development will be hampered. However, on the other hand, sometimes it is feared that artificial lenses that are placed after surgery can hinder the growth and development of the child's eyes.

In some cases, special contact lenses attached to the surface of the eye (cornea) are used to help restore the child's vision after the child's eye lens is removed.

Prevention

Is there a way to prevent congenital cataracts?

Cataracts in babies due to birth can only be seen and diagnosed after childbirth. Before birth, there is no way to detect this problem in the fetus's eyes.

However, you can take precautions not to catch infectious diseases or other health problems during pregnancy.

The reason is, cataracts in babies are also known to occur due to complications that occur during pregnancy. A pregnancy complication that can cause this is an infectious disease.

All infectious diseases are caused by viruses that can cause fetal development problems. This viral infection can be prevented by immunization before pregnancy and immunization during pregnancy.

There are several types of immunization that are better done before entering pregnancy to prevent viral attacks.

Further consult with your obstetrician for information about immunization of pregnant women to prevent congenital cataracts in infants.

Meanwhile, if anyone in your family has a history of congenital cataracts, you should consult your doctor when planning a pregnancy.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.