Doctors consider cataract 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 also do not always pay attention to such a disease, but its danger lies in the fact that it can lead to complete loss of vision in the future. Most often, children are diagnosed with congenital cataracts, which can occur due to external provoking factors that affect the development of the fetus, as well as against the background of deviations in the he alth 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 start treatment.
Reasons
Various infectious diseases can lead to the formation of congenital cataracts in children.disease during the mother's pregnancy. Taking strong antibiotics can also cause the development of the disease. Other factors, such as mechanical damage to the eyes, traumatic brain injury, can lead to the appearance of acquired cataracts in children. Cataracts can also appear in those children who have been treated for eye diseases with a surgical method, as well as in those who have had infectious diseases.
Symptoms
Cataract is a 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 monitor this even in the maternity hospital. Then vision is checked in children at 1 month of age during a preventive examination.
Symptoms:
- Blurred vision (amblyopia, lazy eye syndrome).
- Blinding from bright light.
- One or both pupils become cloudy (turn gray).
- Eye movements are fast and uncontrollable.
- Squint.
- White pupillary reflex.
- Unable to focus on an object.
- Deterioration of night vision.
- The baby often rubs his eyes with his hands.
Differences between congenital and acquired cataracts
To make a diagnosis of cataract in a newborn child, it is necessary for the doctor to issue a conclusion on the etiological polymorphism. To do this, doctors first collect an anamnesis, and also compile a picture of complete data on the child's immune system and its development. There are also comorbidities thatmay affect vision. Congenital can be a cataract in children if there is a violation during the formation of the fetus, that is, it is an intrauterine pathology. There are many reasons why a child is born with visual impairment. This can happen with the banal drinking of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy, with an increased level of any kind of dangerous radiation, with beriberi before and during pregnancy, with the occurrence of a Rh conflict between mother and child. Perhaps a sharp drop in vision in a baby indicates the influence of chronic diseases of the mother on his development. These can be sharp jumps in sugar, and the onset of attacks of VVD.
Classification
Each type of disease has its own characteristics and symptoms. Therefore, it is so important to carry out diagnostics, because without it it is impossible to carry out adequate treatment. Let us consider in detail the most common types of cataracts in children.
Puncture cataract
It is expressed as a separate opacification either in the front or in the back of the capsule of the lens of the eye. The size of the resulting turbidity can 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 the organs of vision in the fetus is affected by harmful substances entering the body of a pregnant woman (alcohol, nicotine, drugs, many medicines).
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 poles. The most common pathology occurs on both sides of the lens. The 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 developmental disorders of the organs of vision in the early stages of embryonic development.
Zonular cataract
This type of disease is the most common in newly born children. Most often, a cataract manifests itself in a bilateral form. It is located in the central part of the zone around the transparent core (it can also be a little cloudy). The zonular form of cataract has a negative effect on vision and significantly reduces it, down 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 cataract is reduced very much, it 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. The side effects of cataracts are varied. They depend on how severely the lens is affected. If the disease has fully developed, then the lens becomes completely cloudy. The child is unableto see the world around, only separate light flashes shine through. A complete cataract can strike him in the first few months after birth or even before birth. Among the features of this type of disease is the fact that it is observed simultaneously with other eye diseases, for example, strabismus. In some cases, the cataract may begin to dissolve, leaving a film behind the pupil.
Complicated cataract
This disease can develop as a result of diseases carried by a pregnant woman, such as hepatitis, rubella, herpes and others. A complicated cataract rarely forms alone, most often other abnormalities, such as deafness or heart disease, can be diagnosed with it.
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 de alt with the issue of treating congenital cataracts in children before the body has completed its full development. New methods of treatment and rehabilitation help to achieve the desired effect without any major surgical interventions, such as incisions and so on.
Thanks to laser equipment and the technique of cataract surgery in children, the doctor can, without unnecessary stress, both for the eye and for the child, carry out all the necessarymanipulation. If the form of cataract involves intracapsular implantation, it can also be carried out 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 discovery of the pathology, the presence of concomitant diseases, as well as the effectiveness of preoperative therapy. The fact is that cataracts can develop rapidly. Often by the first year of life, the child has clouding of the lens. Doctors recommend making a correction immediately after a problem is discovered. The ideal age for a child is up to one and a half years. At a later date, several surgical interventions may be necessary.
Be careful when pregnant and with common viral diseases. They may not be very pronounced in the mother, but some of the pathogens can cross the placenta, which will lead to the development of serious abnormalities in the fetus, including disorders in the formation and development of the organs of vision.
Pregnant women should also be careful about their lifestyle (avoid stress, overwork), diet (exclude all foods that are not he althy and safe). The most prudent behavior should be carried out from the second to the seventh week of pregnancy.
Forms of manifestation of cataracts
There are a lot of manifestations of this disease. If in adults they are most noticeable, so such patients can easily describe their feelings, thenthe child in terms of diagnosis is a difficult patient. The most obvious violations that you need to pay attention to during the examination are:
- Incomplete composition of the lens nucleus.
- Increased brittleness at the back core.
There are also such varieties of cataracts in the eye of a child, in which the anterior and posterior sections of the eye undergo mutations. At the same time, it is quite 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 options for treating a cataract in a child:
- Emergency surgery in the first year of life.
- Elective surgery at a later age, but it must be taken into account that it may be necessary to repeat the surgical intervention. The child will need regular eye exams 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. Lotions with celandine are famous for their great efficiency, 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 the observance of a proper diet. Shouldeat 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, the face should be washed with a special gel to remove all dust from it.
During the summer, doctors recommend wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays. You should limit the time you watch TV or play computer games to an hour a day. In this case, you need to take small breaks for gymnastics for the eyes. It is desirable to read only during the day with good lighting, but if this is not possible, then you should buy a high-quality and bright desk lamp, in which the child will not strain his eyesight.
