Congenital Cataracts(Baby Cataracts)
Congenital Cataract or Infantile Cataract(Baby Cataract) is a lens opacity that is present at birth or shortly after birth.
Congenital cataracts may be sporadic, or they may be caused by chromosomal anomalies, metabolic disease (eg, galactosemia), or intrauterine infection (eg, rubella) or other maternal disease during pregnancy. Cataracts may be located in the center of the lens (nuclear), or they may involve the lens material underneath the anterior or posterior lens capsule (subcapsular or cortical). They may be unilateral or bilateral. They may not be noticed unless the red reflex is checked or unless ophthalmoscopy is done at birth. As with other cataracts, the lens opacity obscures vision. Cataracts may obscure the view of the optic disk and vessels and should always be evaluated by an ophthalmologist.
Removal of a cataract within 17 wk after birth permits the development of vision and cortical visual pathways. Cataracts are removed by aspirating them through a small incision. In many children, an intraocular lens may be implanted. Postoperative visual correction with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or both is usually required to achieve the best outcome.
After a unilateral cataract is removed, the quality of the image in the treated eye is inferior to that of the other eye (assuming the other eye is normal). Because the better eye is preferred, the brain suppresses the poorer-quality image, and amblyopia develops. Thus, effective amblyopia therapy is necessary for the treated eye to develop normal sight. Some children are unable to attain good visual acuity because of accompanying structural defects. In contrast, children with bilateral cataract removal in which image quality is similar in both eyes more frequently develop equal vision in both eyes.
Some cataracts are partial (posterior lenticonus) and opacify during the 1st decade of life. Eyes with partial cataracts will have a better visual outcome.
Visit Cataract Philippines for more inquiries and consult at Healthway Market! Market! at the 4th Floor Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Tel. Nos: 02 889-4426 or 02 889-4430 Healthway The Block at the 5th Level, The Block SM City North EDSA Q.C.,Tel. Nos: 02 4420339-44 and SOON! Healthway Festival Mall at 2/F Pixie Forest Entrance, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa, Tel no: 02 850-4263-65 Fax: 850-4031 . Look for Dr. David Harold Gosiengfiao, MD, Dr. Chris Barasi, MD, Dr. Allan Austriaco, MD and Dr. Victor Ermita, MD.
Last full review/revision June 2007 by Albert W. Biglan, MD
Content last modified June 2007
Frequently Asked Questions about Cataract Surgery
How do I decide to have surgery? Most people have plenty of time to decide about cataract surgery. Your doctor cannot make the decision for you, but talking with your doctor can help you decide. Tell your doctor how your cataract affects your vision and your life. Read the statements below, see which ones apply to you, and tell your doctor if:
• I need to drive, but there is too much glare from the sun or headlights.
• I do not see well enough to do my best at work.
• I do not see well enough to do the things I need to do at home.
• I do not see well enough to do things I like to do (for example, read, watch TV, sew, hike, play cards, and go out with friends).
• I am afraid I will bump into something or fall.
• Because of my cataract, I am not as independent as I would like to be.
• I cannot see well enough with my glasses.
• My eyesight bothers me a lot. You may also have other specific problems you want to discuss with your eye doctor.
How can cataracts be treated?
The natural lens of the eye that has been damaged by a cataract is surgically removed and then replaced with a clear artificial lens. During the surgery, usually done on an outpatient basis, a tiny incision is made in the eye and the cataract-damaged natural lens is removed through the incision. An artificial lens is then inserted through the same incision. Most patients have significantly improved vision after the procedure.
Can a cataract return?
A cataract cannot return because the entire lens has been removed. However, in as many as half of all people who have extracapsular surgery or phacoemulsification, the lens capsule (the tissue bag that supports the replacement lens) becomes cloudy. This cloudiness can develop months or years after surgery. It can cause the same vision problems as the original cataract. The treatment for this condition is a procedure called a YAG laser capsulotomy, which is named for the material used to generate the laser energy (yttrium-aluminum-garnet). The doctor uses a laser (light) beam to make a small opening in the capsule through which light can pass unimpeded. This surgery is painless and does not require a hospital stay. Most people see well after a YAG capsulotomy. Your doctor will discuss the risks with you.
What are the benefits of cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery restores quality vision for millions of patients each year. Good vision is vital to an enjoyable lifestyle. Numerous research studies show that cataract surgery restores quality-of-life functions including reading, working, moving around, hobbies, safety, self-confidence, independence, daytime and nighttime driving, community and social activities, mental health, and overall life satisfaction.
What are the risks of cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery is performed millions of times every year in the United States. In fact, it is the most commonly performed surgery in the U.S. About 98 percent of patients have a complication-free experience that results in improved vision. Nevertheless, cataract surgery has risks and complications. Most complications resolve in a matter of days to months. In rare cases, patients lose some degree of vision permanently as a result of the surgery.
Is it still necessary to wear thick glasses after cataract surgery?
No. Today, cataract patients who have artificial or intraocular lenses (IOLs) implanted during surgery may only need reading glasses for close vision. Patients who do not receive IOLs wear contact lenses for distance vision and reading glasses for close vision. Some patients choose to wear multifocal contact lenses for all distances.
How successful is cataract surgery? Cataract surgery has an overall success rate of 98 percent. Continuous innovations in techniques and instruments allow cataract surgeons to treat more patients while keeping costs down and improving quality of patient care.
Are lasers used to treat cataracts?
In general, no. In some cases, the bag-like capsule membrane that supports the artificial lens that replaces the damaged cataractous natural lens may become clouded several months after cataract surgery. In that case, a YAG laser may be used to make a clear opening in the lens-containing membrane.
What kind of doctor performs cataract surgery?
Medical doctors, MDs, who, after completing medical school and an internship, have had 3 or more years of special training in eye diseases and surgery, are called “ophthalmologists.” Only ophthalmologists who have had special training in eye surgery are allowed to perform cataract surgery.
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