A congenital cataract is where the eye’s natural lens is cloudy instead of clear. Some cataracts are present at birth while others develop during the first few months of life. Cataracts in adults occur when a normal lens gets old and hard, yellow, and finally clouds over. In newborns, the lens clouds over because it didn’t form properly.
Congenital cataracts are rare and only occur in approximately 0.4 percent of births in the developed world. There are four types of congenital cataracts:
Anterior Polar cataract: Well defined, located in the front part of the eye’s lens and commonly associated with inherited traits. They are generally considered too small to require surgery.
Posterior polar cataract: Also well defined, appears in the back portion of the eye’s lens.
Nuclear cataract: appears in the central part of the lens and is a very common form of congenital cataract.
Cerulean cataract: Usually found in both eyes of infants and can be distinguished by the appearance of small, bluish dots in the lens. Typically, this type of cataract does not affect vision. Cerulean cataracts are often associated with inherited tendencies.
Not all cataracts require surgical removal, cataracts that cloud only the peripheral portion of the lens may not need surgery as central vision remains unimpeded. Cataracts that are very small in size may be deemed too insignificant to remove surgically. If however, vision is hampered by the cataract, surgery is generally required.
Once a baby is diagnosed with cataracts, she should be seen by an experienced ophthalmologist. There is some varying opinions on when is to best time to remove cataracts in a newborn. There are some concerns that complications such as development of high eye pressure can lead to secondary glaucoma. On the other hand, delaying surgery in some cases can lead to loss of vision. Some experts advise that the best time to surgically remove a cataract is between the age of six weeks and three months.
Learn more about the symptoms of congenital cataracts
