Bardet-Biedl syndrome is a genetic disorder that is very rare but can lead to problems in multiple locations. Brain is the most affected part in this syndrome. Neurological functions and an individual’s intellect are easily ruptured upon the development of this syndrome.
Bardet-Biedl Syndrome,It’s Effect on The Eye: Eye has something called photoreceptors built into it. These photoreceptors are of two types viz.,rods and cones. These are very useful to the eye as they are the ones that help a person distinguish between colours, enable night vision etc..
- Upon developing this syndrome the rods and cones in the eye are affected.
- In medical terms this problem is called as rod-cone dystrophy.
- Rod-cone dystrophy could lead to night blindness, visual acuity problems and also photo phobia(sensitivity to bright lights).
Main Cause of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome: This syndrome is a genetic disorder. Not necessarily does this mean that a child born with this syndrome has one of his/her parent’s suffering from it. But, it can so happen that one or both the parents could be carrying a defective gene that could lead to the disorder.
- There is also a possibility that the child might not be born with this disorder, but, the defective gene could be transmitted to the child.
- The child would be a potential carrier of this defective gene and this gene can be inherited by the next generations leading to the disorder itself.
- Hence, this syndrome is a recessively inherited one. But, this is a very rare syndrome and in most cases the defective gene may not be inherited at all.
Symptoms of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome: A child who develops this syndrome could exhibit the following symptoms:
- Gaining weight excessively right from the age of 1-2 years.
- Would have difficulties in learning.
- Would suffer from high blood pressure and kidney related problems.
- Extra finger growth which is known as polydactyly.
- Can develop night blindness as early as the age of 9 and may go legally blind by the time he turns 15.
- Lazy eye or squint, cross eye, cataract and glaucoma are the other visual symptoms that can be observed.
- Might also have a delayed puberty or sometimes it could be completely absent.
Treating Bardet-Biedl Syndrome: Bardet-Biedl syndrome is very tough to spot especially in young children. The problem is that most symptoms may not show or there is always a possibility that the symptoms vary from child to another.
This syndrome is not curable. But, consulting an ophthalmologist could prove to be useful, at least in easing the problems associated with low vision.
