Eye diseases in children may sometimes occur as serious conditions needing anything from corrective lens to medications and surgery, the Optometrists Network reports. Permanent damage may occur if eye diseases are not corrected in children. Parents and teachers may notice diseases of the eye in children indirectly because of school work and other tasks, as well as how they play.
Astigmatism
This eye disorder occurs within uterine development, in other words, when the child still resides inside the womb. The curve of the eye lens within the cornea develops abnormally. This can make it difficult for a child to view an object correctly, the National Institutes of Health report. The child may see part of an alphabet letter but not the entire letter, for example. He may have headaches and vertigo or dizziness. Corrective lenses most often will allow the child to see properly.
Nystagmus
Symptoms of nystagmus include rapid motion of one or both eyes inside the eye socket, as reported by Cleveland Clinic. Various diseases can cause nystagmus to exist, including Tourette syndrome, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and multiple sclerosis along with albinism, the American Optometric Association indicates. Nystagmus also may result from a severe astigmatism.
Amblyopia
Known as "lazy eye," with amblyopia, the eye does not see correctly and fails to attempt to develop central vision, the Cleveland Clinic states. To help correct this disease, the child may wear a patch over the good eye, which can aid in the development of central vision of the lazy eye. Doctors can correct this eye disease if they detect it in children of preschool age before full development of the eye occurs.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis or pinkeye, an infection of the mucous membrane covering the entire eye, causes sensitivity in the eye to light along with drainage, the National Institutes of Health state. Conjunctivitis may feel painful and it can spread quickly as a bacterial infection. Physicians treat this disease with prescribed antibiotics. In addition to bacteria, this eye disease can be caused from allergies, using contact lenses and eye irritation.
Strabismus
Strabismus, a hereditary eye disorder, causes the eyes to crisscross, the Optometrists Network reports. Surgical intervention can correct the muscle related to movement of the eye. This entails shortening the eye muscle on either side of the eye, straightening the eye within the center of the socket. This eye disorder occurs because of poor muscle control and development within the eye.
Cataract
A congenital cataract may occur at birth or develop later in childhood, the MayoClinic.com indicates. It appears as a film covering the eye, making it difficult for the child to see. A surgeon must remove the cataract to allow for normal vision.
Color Blindness
Color blindness occurs mostly in males and prevents the person from seeing specific colors. Color pigments missing in the cones of the eye can cause difficulty in seeing some colors and sometimes all colors, as reported by the Cleveland Clinic. Special color plates are used to detect color blindness at school age.
