Cataracts Childhood
Causes of cataracts in children
Source: NHS
In this topic (6)
There are a number of reasons why a child may be born with cataracts or develop them while they're still young.
However,in many cases it's not possible to determine the exact cause. Some of the main causes of childhood cataracts are described below.
Genes and genetic conditions
Cataracts present from birth (congenital cataracts) are sometimes caused bya faulty gene being passed to a child fromtheir parents. This fault means that the lens doesn't develop properly.
It's estimated that there's a family history of congenital cataracts inaround one in every five cases of the condition,and recent research suggests genetic causes are responsible for the majority of bilateral congenital cataracts in the UK.
Cataracts can also be associated with conditions caused by chromosome abnormalities, such as Trisomy 21 . Chromosomes are the parts of the body's cells that carry the genes.
Infections duringpregnancy
Congenital cataracts can also be caused by infections caught by the mother during pregnancy. The main infections linked to an increased risk of congenital cataracts include:
- rubella (German measles) a viral infection that can cause a red-pink spotty skin rash
- toxoplasmosis a parasitic infection caught by consuming food, water or soil contaminated with infected cat's faeces
- cytomegalovirus (CMV) a common virus that can cause flu-like symptoms
- chickenpox a mild but highly infectious condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus
- herpes simplex virus a virus that often causes cold sores
Causes of acquired cataracts
Cataracts that develop in children after they're born are known as acquired, infantile or juvenile cataracts.
Causes of this type of cataracts can include:
- galactosaemia where the sugar galactose (which mainly comes from lactose, the sugar in milk) can't be broken down by the body
- diabetes a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high
- eye trauma as a result of an injury to the eye or eye surgery
- toxocariasis a rare parasitic infection that can sometimes infect the eyes, spread from animals to humans via their infected faeces
However, most of these problems are either rare or don't usually cause cataracts to develop in children.
Articles for Cataracts Childhood
Causes of cataracts in children
Read about the possible causes of childhood cataracts including genes and genetic conditions and infections during pregnancy, such as rubella, chickenpox and toxoplasmosis.
Complications of childhood cataract surgery
Read about the complications of cataract surgery, including posterior capsule opacification (PCO) where part of the lens capsule thickens, causing cloudy vision.
Diagnosing cataracts in children
Find out how childhood cataracts are diagnosed with the help of newborn screening, vision tests during early childhood and referral to an ophthalmologist (eye specialist).
Introduction
Find out about childhood cataracts which occur when changes in the lens of the eye cause it to become less transparent, resulting in blurred or misty vision.
Symptoms of cataracts in children
Symptoms of childhood cataracts can vary depending on how cloudy the lens is, where the cloudiness is in the lens and whether one or both eyes are affected.
Treating cataracts in children
Read about the treatment options for childhood cataracts. Cataract surgery will usually only be recommended if your child's vision is affected.
