Children's Eye Diseases

Eye diseases can affect anyone of any age, but some diseases, such as "lazy eye," tend to affect children more often than other diseases. Children's eyes change quickly as they grow, so it is important to pay attention to any sign that indicates an eye disease or disorder.

Warning Signs

• Signs a child may have eye disease include eyes that are crossed, bulge, frequently watery, or have puss or crust. Other signs include drooping eyelids, eye discharge or bleeding, and one pupil larger than the other.

Common Diseases

• Amblyopia, or lazy eye, and strabismus are eye diseases in which eyes cross or point in different directions. Other common conditions include refractive errors, which cause near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism.

Less Common Diseases

• Less common eye diseases in children include retinitis pigmentosa, which leads to blindness, and retinopathy of prematurity, which can cause the retina to come loose and leads to blindness.

Congenital Diseases

• Types of congenital eye diseases include congenital glaucoma. which causes nerve damage. and congenital cataracts, which cause blocked vision. Familial blindness and Leber's congenital amaurosis also can lead to blindness.

Treatment

• Treating eye diseases varies depending on what the problem is, but treatment can include antibiotic drops and ointments, eye exercises, prescribing glasses, and surgery.