A childhood cataract is an opacity in the clear crystalline lens of a child that leads to light scattering and vision loss.
The condition can be unilateral or bilateral (one or both eyes), present since your child’s birth, or acquired during childhood.
You should know that the first 2 months of age are critical for vision development, which continues until at least 7 years of age.
The presence of lens opacity at birth will lead to interruption of normal cortical visual pathway development which subsequently leads to amblyopia (Lazy eye), which is more common when the cataract is in one eye (unilateral).
Checking the red reflex in our Ophthalmology clinic (specifically for newborns and on every visit), Slit lamp examination, and preschool vision screening.
Unilateral cataracts (one eye) are unlikely to have an underlying genetic mutation or systemic disease, which is why they do not need a major workout. However, for bilateral pediatric cataracts (both eyes) we usually consider the underlying cause of the disease and proceed for a complete workout, to check infection, inflammation, or metabolic disorders.
Well, our doctor should first examine your child’s eye to check the size and density of the cataract and decide whether he needs urgent surgical intervention or just observation.
At Dr. Rami Hamed Center, our Ophthalmology department is dedicated to safeguarding your vision health through expert eye care Professionals, Renowned as one of the best eye care clinics in Dubai our Ophthalmology Specialists provide services for Cataract and Retina treatment with Laser and Refractive surgeries.