Which Eye Disorders Affect Infants?

The eyes begin to develop in a foetus two weeks after conception. So, the baby inside is most prone to eye injuries at this time. An expectant mother must thus be very careful in the drugs she consumes. The mother getting affected by German measles also has a chance of damaging or causing abnormalities to the child’s eye.

The baby once it is born has to be examined from time to time for any eye conditions. Although blindness and major eye disorders in infancy are rare, parents should still care for the newborn’s eye health. Here are some common eye disorders and conditions which affect newborns and infants:

Infections: Infections are the most contagious and the most easily affecting condition on an infant. Newborns might be infected with conjunctivitis while passing through the birth duct. Older babies might be infected as a result of contact with people with the infection. The eyes may become slightly red and may produce a sticky discharge. Antibiotic drops might give relief.

Cataracts: There is a lens inside the eye that helps it focus. This lens in akin to that of a camera and is normally crystal clear. If the lens becomes opaque, vision is impaired. Very rarely, babies are born with their lens cloudy, which makes it difficult for the light to pass through it. At times, surgery might be required to correct the cataract.

Strabismus:   Strabismus involves the eyes being misaligned. It may be either crossed eye (esotropia) where the eye is turned in or wall eye (exotropia) where the eye is turned out. It is generally a myth that infants outgrow strabismus. Any baby over the age of 4 months and still having strabismus must have a thorough eye check up. Left untreated, this might lead to amblyopia.

Amblyopia:   Amblyopia, also called lazy eye is the loss of vision in an eye, which otherwise is quite healthy. It is usually caused by injury and refractive disorders and does not display symptoms. It is best detected and treated in childhood, as later on, the vision might be permanently impaired.