Gejala klinik

Cloudiness of the lens, often obvious at birth without special viewing equipment, and appearing as a whitish discoloration in an otherwise normally dark pupil Kekeruhan lensa, Failure of an infant to show visual awareness of the world around him or her (if cataracts present in both eyes) Kegagalan anak dalam menunjukkan ketanggapan visual terhadap dunia sekitar. Nystagmus (unusual rapid eye movements) x

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. Exams and Tests Every baby needs to be screened within the first 24-28 hours after birth as part of the National Screening procedure. Babies are normally checked again by a health visitor around 6 weeks of age. If a parent is concerned at any stage that their baby is not seeing normally, they should discuss this with their family doctor. Setiap bayi sebaiknya telah di screening 24-28 jam pertama setelah lahir. Biasanya bayi di cek kembali oleh health visitor sekitar umur 6 minggu. Jika orang tua merasakan bayinya kelihatan tidak normal di tingkat pertumbuhan dan perkembangannya, mereka seharusnya mendiskusikan dengan dokter keluarga mereka. If the obstetrician or hospital doctor suspects that a child has a congenital cataract they, will arrange a full examination of the eye and lens. An ophthalmologist (eye doctor) would carry out this examination at hospital. If a childs cataract or cataracts are likely to have a significant effect on the childs vision, surgery may be considered under the age of 3 months. In these cases it is very important to get a referral to an ophthalmologist as quickly as possible following diagnosis. Jika dokter rumah sakit menyangka bahwa seorang anak mengalami katarak kongenital meraka akan menyusun penilaian penuh terhadap mata dan lensa. Dokter mata akan merujuk penilaian ini ke rumah sakit. Jika katarak anak kemungkinan memiliki efek yang signifikan terhadap penglihatan anak, pembedahan sebaiknya dipertimbangkan di bawah umur 3 bulan. Dalam kasus ini, dokter mata secepat mungkin untuk mendiagnosa penyakit ini.

The ophthalmologist would normally use an instrument called an ophthalmoscope which allows them to examine the inside of a childs eyes. The ophthalmoscope is held close to the eye but will not touch it. Sometimes a child will be given a general anaesthetic to allow the ophthalmologist to carry out a eye examination. This allows the doctor to look thoroughly at the babys eye whilst he or she is still without causing any distress.

If cataracts develop later on in childhood, there may be noticeable outward signs if they affect vision. For example sometimes a child may appear to have difficulty focusing on certain objects or has to hold their head at a certain angle or they may develop a squint. In these cases the GP will refer you to see an eye specialist. In only a few cases would a cataract change the appearance of an eye. A very advanced cataract can cause a childs pupil to look white, as the cloudy cataract can be seen through it. However, there are other causes of a white pupil which would need to be checked as an emergency, as they can be serious.

A complete eye examination by an ophthalmologist will readily diagnose congenital cataract. The search for a possible cause may require examination by a pediatrician experienced in hereditary disorders and possible blood tests or x-rays.