 |
 |
 |
Brain scans are taken to locate cataracts in newborn babies.
|
Any opacity in the lens of the eye is called a cataract. The lens sits behind the pupil and focuses
light into the eye. Some cataracts are mere specs in the lens and have no visual impact. Other
cataracts can occupy the entire lens and block all formed images from being focused into the
eye.
Cataracts themselves are rarely injurious to an eyeball. Their main impact is the blurring of
vision. However, if left untreated, particularly in young children, the brain can "forget" how to
use the eye and this results in "lazy vision" called amblyopia. This can result in permanent visual
damage. To prevent this, the cataract is removed and the good eye patched to help the brain
re-learn how to use the cataract eye.
Only rarely, can the cataract rupture outside of its protective lens membrane capsule (the capsular bag), at which time the eye
itself can be damaged by an inflammation response (iritis) or an elevation of the pressure in the eye (glaucoma). This is very
uncommon, particularly in children, unless the cataract was caused by an injury, which ruptures the capsule.
|
 |
After the removal of the cataract, a patch is put over the baby's good eye or else her brain will never learn to use the other eye to see.
|
The types of lens opacities we see in children are different than those in adults. Adults tend to
get a browning and hardening of the lens where as children cataracts tend to be more white and
localized in special zones of the lens which reflect the developmental process that makes the lens.
However, the end result is the same: blurred vision.
All people will get cataracts in their eyes if they live long enough. This is a natural effect of aging.
Children only get cataracts when there is a specific abnormality in the development of the lens of
the eye, often due to a gene abnormality. Some cataracts in children are the secondary effect of
an underlying disease, genetic syndrome, or medication.
By covering the good eye after the cataract is removed, the brain is forced to use the cataract
eye and thus re-start the vision development that was delayed while the brain was relying on the
good eye.
|
|
|