Because the visual system of a child develops throughout childhood, parents should be aware of some of the common eye disorders that may affect that development. The parents also have to be proactive since the child may not inform the parents of any problems. For many of the common pediatric eye diseases, early treatment can allow the child to resume visual development. Early eye examinations can enable the eye doctor to make the diagnosis; however, there are signs and symptoms associated with many of these disorders that can alert the parent to the need for an eye exam.
Amblyopia
Amblyopia, or lazy eye, means poor vision in one eye--usually related to lack of use. This lack of use can occur for many reasons: differences in the prescription between eyes, something blocking the vision in one eye or strabismus, also called crossed eyes. Glasses that correct the prescription difference or improve the alignment of the eye are a main therapy. Using a patch over the eye with better vision may also be useful by forcing the eye with the poorer vision to have to work. Surgical treatment of the strabismus may also be necessary.
Strabismus
Misalignment of the eye muscles is a common pediatric eye disease. The common term for strabismus is lazy eye; strabismus can lead to amblyopia. The treatment for strabismus is similar to amblyopia and includes patching and prescription glasses. A pediatric eye surgeon may surgically straighten the eyes by moving the eye muscles if the nonsurgical therapies do not work. In this childhood eye disorder, parents may notice the crossing of one or both eyes and can schedule further evaluation with an eye doctor.
Cataracts
Some pediatric cataracts are congenital--meaning that the child was born with it. Other types of cataracts may be caused by trauma or systemic diseases. A congenital cataract may present with a white spot in the pupil or a baby who does not seem aware of its surroundings. A childhood cataract may present with amblyopia. For both types of cataracts, cataract removal is the best treatment; however, the child may have to undergo treatment for amblyopia afterward with patching or corrective lenses to stimulate visual development in the affected eye.
Glaucoma
Although glaucoma is mainly a condition of older adults, some infants are born with a pediatric form of the disease. Children may develop glaucoma as well. Because diagnosis may not occur early and the damage to the developing eye can be significant, detection is very important. In a child with glaucoma, the eyes may be larger than usual, myopic, also called nearsighted, or sensitive to light. The cornea of the eye or eyes with glaucoma may become cloudy. Since time is of the essence, parents should follow up with an eye doctor as soon as possible if any of these symptoms are observed.
Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma is a cancer that forms from cells in the retina. It occurs in children and is typically diagnosed after a parent notices an abnormal white reflex in an eye in a flash picture. Chemotherapy, radiation or surgery can be used to treat the tumor. If the disease is diagnosed soon enough, the surgeon will attempt to save the vision in the affected eye, but sometimes this is not possible.
Congenital Ptosis
Another childhood eye disorder is congenital ptosis where one or both eyelids droop down. This is caused by a weakened levator muscle which is the muscle in the eyelid that lifts the upper lid. A child with this disorder may tip the head back to see or hold the eyelid up to be able to see. Surgery to correct this condition can be performed during the preschool years.
