Doctors consider cataracts to be a very insidious disease, since at the beginning of its development it does not cause any discomfort and discomfort in children, therefore it is not immediately treated. Parents of babies who have cataracts do not always pay attention to such a disease, but its danger is that it can lead to complete loss of vision in the future. Most often, children are diagnosed with congenital cataract, which can occur due to external provoking factors affecting the development of the fetus, as well as against the background of deviations in the health of a pregnant woman. It is very important to know the causes and symptoms of cataracts in children in order to notice the disease in time and begin treatment.
Causes
Various infectious diseases during maternal pregnancy can lead to the formation of congenital cataracts in children . Taking potent antibiotics can also cause the development of the disease. Other factors can lead to the appearance of acquired cataract in children, such as mechanical damage to the eyes, traumatic brain injuries. Cataracts can also occur in those children who have been treated for eye diseases surgically, as well as those who have had infectious diseases.
Symptoms
Cataracts - clouding of the lens, leading to a decrease in visual acuity. It is difficult for parents to establish the symptoms of cataracts in newborns, but doctors are still watching this in the maternity hospital. Then the vision is checked in children in 1 month of life during a routine examination.
Symptoms
- Blurry vision (amblyopia, lazy eye syndrome).
- Glare from glare.
- One or both of the pupils become cloudy (turn gray).
- Eye movements are fast and uncontrollable.
- Strabismus.
- White pupillary reflex.
- Inability to focus on the subject.
- Deterioration of night vision.
- The kid often rubs his eyes with handles.
Differences between congenital and acquired cataracts
In order to diagnose cataract in a newborn, it is necessary for the doctor to issue an opinion on etiological polymorphism. For this, doctors preliminarily collect an anamnesis, and also compile a picture of complete data on the child’s immune system and its development. Concomitant diseases that can affect the formation of vision are also identified. Cataract in children can be congenital if a violation occurs during the formation of the fetus, that is, it is an intrauterine pathology. There are many reasons for a baby to be born with visual impairment. This can happen with the banal drinking of alcohol during pregnancy, with an elevated level of any kind of hazardous radiation, with vitamin deficiency before and during pregnancy, with the occurrence of a Rhesus conflict of mother and child. Perhaps a sharp drop in vision in the baby indicates the influence of chronic diseases of the mother on his development. It can be sharp surges of sugar, and the beginning attacks of the IRR.
Classification
Each type of disease has its own characteristics and symptoms. Therefore, it is so important to diagnose, because without it it is impossible to carry out adequate treatment. Consider in detail the most common varieties of cataracts in children.
Pinpoint cataract
It is expressed as a separate turbidity either in the front or in the back of the capsule of the lens of the eye. The size of the resulting turbidity may be different. The degree of vision loss depends on the size of the capsule. Such a point cataract can form in children due to the fact that the mother suffered any diseases during the period of bearing the child or she had inflammatory processes in the body. In addition, the development of organs of vision in the fetus is influenced by harmful substances entering the pregnant woman's body (alcohol, nicotine, drugs, many medications).
Polar cataract
This type of disease has a negative effect not only on the capsule, but also on the substance itself contained in the lens of both the anterior and posterior pole. Pathologies on both sides of the lens are most common. Polar cataract of the posterior pole develops due to the weakness of the capsule, as a result of which it may even rupture. Anterior polar cataract is associated with impaired development of the organs of vision in the early stages of embryo development.
Sonar cataract
This type of disease is the most common in newly born children. Most often, cataract is manifested in a bilateral form. It is located in the central part of the zone around the transparent core (it can also be a little unclear). The sonic form of cataracts has a negative effect on vision and significantly reduces it, up to 0.1 and even lower.
Nuclear cataract
Most often, this type of disease is inherited in the family. It affects both eyes at once. Vision with nuclear cataracts decreases very much, can reach -0.1 and even lower. If the lesion affects only the embryonic nucleus, vision may remain the same or fall, but only slightly.
Complete cataract
This type of disease is also characterized by its bilateral form. Side effects of cataracts are various. They depend on how severely the lens is affected. If the disease has developed completely, then the lens becomes completely cloudy. The child is not able to see the world around him, only individual light flashes shine through. A complete cataract can affect him in the first few months after birth or even before the moment of birth. Among the features of this type of disease can be attributed to the fact that it is observed simultaneously with other eye diseases, for example, strabismus. In some cases, the cataract may begin to resolve, resulting in a film remaining in the pupil.
Complicated cataract
This disease can develop as a result of a pregnant disease, such as hepatitis, rubella, herpes, and others. Complicated cataracts rarely form alone, most often with it the child can be diagnosed with other abnormalities, such as deafness or heart disease.
Treatment
Eye diseases are very common in the modern world, which is why cataracts can be encountered from birth. Of course, like any pathology, it requires treatment, constant monitoring and elimination of all consequences. Modern eye surgery has long dealt with the issue of treating congenital cataract in children before the body completes its full development. New methods of treatment and rehabilitation help to achieve the desired effect without any major surgical interventions, such as incisions and other things.
Thanks to laser equipment and techniques for cataract surgery in children, the doctor can carry out all the necessary manipulations without stress for both the eye and the child. If the cataract form involves intracapsular implantation, it can also be performed without unnecessary damage to the skin around the eyes. Of course, the desired effect is not always achieved immediately. This may be due to how quickly the operation was performed after the detection of the pathology, with the presence of concomitant diseases, as well as with the effectiveness of preoperative therapy. The fact is that cataracts can develop rapidly. Often, by the first year of life, the child has a clouding of the lens. Doctors recommend correcting immediately after detecting a problem. The age of the child is up to one and a half years. At a later date, several surgical interventions may be necessary.
Be careful to be pregnant and with the usual viral diseases. They may not manifest itself very much in the mother, but some of the pathogens can penetrate the placenta, which will entail the development of serious abnormalities in the fetus, including disturbances in the formation and development of the organs of vision.
Pregnant women should also exercise caution regarding their lifestyle (avoid stress, overwork), diet (exclude all foods that are not healthy and safe). The most prudent behavior should be conducted from the second to the seventh week of pregnancy.
Forms of cataract
There are a lot of manifestations of this disease. If in adults they are most noticeable, therefore, such patients can easily describe their feelings, then the child in terms of diagnosis is a complex patient. The most obvious violations that you need to pay attention to when examining are:
- Incomplete composition of the lens nucleus.
- Increased fragility at the posterior nucleus.
There are also such types of eye cataracts in a child in which they have mutations in the front and rear sections of the eye. At the same time, it is rather difficult to localize turbidity. When these indicators indicate a complicated form of the disease, it is necessary to prescribe a much more complex treatment with constant maintenance of the level of vision even after surgery.
In the case of development, there are only two ways of cataract treatment in a child:
- Conducting urgent surgical intervention in the first year of life.
- Carrying out a planned operation at a later age, but it must be borne in mind that there may be a need for repeated surgical intervention. The child will need constant eye tests and glasses.
Prevention
To avoid further progression of eye diseases, the child must be shown to an ophthalmologist. The doctor will prescribe special eye drops, which must be used strictly according to the instructions. Great effectiveness are famous lotions with celandine, which must be applied to the eyes all night. They will not only help relieve discomfort, but also have a beneficial effect on vision. Do not forget about following a proper diet. You should eat fruits and vegetables, dairy products, nuts, seafood, herbs, berries, especially blueberries. It is advisable to exclude all fatty and fried foods, pickles, smoked meats, spicy dishes. After returning home from the street, you need to wash your face with a special gel to remove all dust from it.
In the summer, doctors recommend the use of sunglasses, which will protect the eyes from exposure to ultraviolet rays. You should limit the time you watch TV or playing games with computer equipment to an hour a day. In this case, you need to take small breaks for gymnastics for the eyes. It is advisable to read only in the afternoon under good lighting, but if this is not possible, then you should buy a high-quality and bright table lamp, in which the child will not strain his eyesight.