The eyes are delicate organs that from birth we begin to develop and evolve to complete vision, provided there are no eye problems. Pediatricians can treat simple eye problems (conjunctivitis), although if a more serious eye condition occurs, medical or surgical treatment may be required.
There are a few symptoms that can indicate visual problems in children, since they are babies, as if they do not focus on the eyes, have red eyes or rub them frequently. Let's see what they are eye problems in babies.
Infections: Some newborns may develop conjunctivitis by passing through the birth canal. There are several types of conjunctivitis, but they all have some symptoms that are common. In newborns, the eyelids and the white part of the eyes (conjunctiva) of the newborn become very inflamed. When the eyelid separates, you can see the outflow of pus, and abundant "legañas" accumulate after sleep, and the eye tears a lot. Infected eyes appear red, swollen and have a sticky discharge. Antibiotic eye drops may be given as a treatment.
Clogged tear ducts or tear stenosis. Tears flow from inside the eye through a duct, the Hasner valve. Some babies are born with this covered duct, and it may take a few weeks or months to open. Meanwhile, tears do not drain properly, with the consequent poor cleaning of the surface of the eye and stagnation in the tear sac. Mucous secretions also occur in the eyes that remain sticky. It is usually enough with gentle massages in the area so that the tear is unobstructed.
waterfalls: Some newborns may be born with this eye problem. Babies are rarely born with a cataract, a cloudiness or an opaque area over the lens. Cataracts in children are usually detected by the pediatrician during medical examinations performed at birth and subsequently. Some cataracts are small and do not cause any visual symptoms. However, other more progressive cataracts can cause visual problems in children. If the cataract is severe, the pupil appears white and surgery may be required.
Squint: one eye is turned too far in one direction. For example, an eye may be turned inwards, esotopia (squint), or it may be turned outward, exotropia (divergent eyes). Actually, there are many forms of strabismus. The alignment of the eye is usually not fixed at birth, since babies still cannot focus and we have what is known as strabismus in the newborn. But by 4 months of age the eyes should be straight looking in the same direction. Untreated strabismus can produce amblyopia.
Amblyopia or lazy eye, lazy eye. Amblyopia means loss of vision in an apparently healthy eye, which occurs in babies and children if there is no balance between the eyes. In these cases, the child may unconsciously use one eye more than the other. The opposite eye will lose vision due to lack of use. A lazy eye may appear when there is cataract, strabismus, ptosis (droopy eyelid) ... Amblyopia usually has no easy-to-detect symptoms. It must be treated by an ophthalmologist before the child fully develops vision, encouraging the child to use the lazy eye.
Ptosis or droopy eyelid. In some children, the muscle that lifts the upper eyelid fails to develop properly in one or both eyes. This muscle is weakened, which causes the upper eyelid to hang, covering half of the eye. Ptosis can sometimes result in amblyopia. In mild cases, surgery can be performed to improve the appearance of the eyelids. In more severe cases, surgery may be required to correct the interference with vision. In children with ptosis, surgery may be necessary to correct amblyopia.
Retinopathy of prematurity: In babies born prematurely, blood vessels in the eye that supply the retina are not fully developed. Sometimes these vessels develop abnormally and can damage the inside of the eye. Retinopathy of prematurity can only be detected during an ophthalmic examination during the first weeks of life, and if the disease progresses, the eye can be treated to prevent blindness.
Visual inattention. Sometimes babies do not start paying attention to visual stimulation until 6 or 8 weeks of age, and this can be normal as we said when talking about how much the newborn sees. Normally the visual system matures over time, but if we continue to observe an unpleasant vision in the baby as the weeks progress, it could be a sign of eye disease. A complete eye exam should be done if there appears to be visual neglect after 3 months of age to avoid permanent or progressive loss of vision after a hidden problem.
We have to pay attention to these eye problems of babies and consult the pediatrician in case of suspicion that the baby or child suffers from any of them.
