Pediatric Cataracts

Cataracts are rare in children, but can cause much more serious problems than in adults. Vision is very poorly developed in a newborn and requires several years of proper visual experience to develop to a normal level. It is critical that cataracts be diagnosed in a timely fashion and properly treated.

Symptoms

If a cataract develops early in childhood, vision development may be permanently affected. Pediatric cataracts can be present at birth or may develop at any time during childhood. They can affect one or both eyes. A cataract in a child may be diagnosed by the primary care doctor at a routine well child visit, or it may present as a “lazy eye” or strabismus.

Treatment Options

Cataracts that are visually significant in a child will usually require surgery. Cataract surgery in a child typically involves general surgery, and may involve the placement of a lens implant, just as in adult cataract surgery. If a child is very young, then a lens implant may not be advisable and a contact lens is used instead. Vision rehabilitation after pediatric cataract surgery typically requires patching of the “good” eye as well as glasses.