This page is about cataracts in children. Find out about cataracts in adults
Symptoms of cataracts in children
A child can be born with cataracts (congenital cataracts) or they may develop when a child is older.
The main symptoms of childhood cataracts in children and babies include:
- 1 or both of their eyes looking white or cloudy
- having difficulty following moving objects with their eyes
- having difficulty focussing on faces or objects
- 1 or both of their eyes moving quickly from side to side or appearing to wobble
- having a squint
If your child is older, they may also:
- have blurred, cloudy or distorted vision
- have difficulty seeing well in low light
- see a bright ring (halo) around lights
- have difficulty reading
- bump into things
When and where to get medical help
If you think your child has cataracts, it's important to get medical help.
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP if:
- you think your child may have cataracts
A GP can check their eyes and refer them to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) if needed.
Diagnosing childhood cataracts
To check for childhood cataracts, an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) will use eye drops to increase the size of your child's pupils and look in their eyes using a light.
Congenital cataracts are also checked for when your baby is born as part of their newborn physical exam.
Treatment for childhood cataracts (cataract surgery)
The main treatment for childhood cataracts is an operation to remove the cloudy lens (cataract surgery).
The operation helps improve the child's vision and prevents them losing their sight.
Your child will be given a general anaesthetic so they are asleep and will not feel anything during the operation.
Cataract surgery usually takes around an hour.
During surgery:
- the surgeon makes a small cut in the surface of the eye (cornea)
- the cloudy lens is removed
- an artificial lens is placed into the eye in older children and stitched into place – the stitches will dissolve on their own
Babies may not be given an artificial lens during the operation. They'll usually be given contact lenses or glasses until they are older, when they can have an artificial lens fitted.
If your child has a cataract in both eyes, they may have 2 separate operations to give them time to recover.
Your child's vision may be blurred at first but should improve as their eye heals.
Recovering from cataract surgery
After the operation babies may need to stay in hospital overnight. Older children will usually be able to go home the same day.
For the first few weeks, your child will need eye drops. The hospital team will show you how to give these. The drops help the eye heal and reduce the risk of infection and swelling.
You may be given an eye shield for your child. This is worn over the eye at night. It helps protect the eye while your child sleeps.
If their eye becomes crusty or sticky, gently clean it using water and a clean tissue. Boil the water first and let it cool down. Do not rub or press on the eye.
You can give your child paracetamol if they have any pain.
Your child's hospital team will tell you when they can return to school or nursery.
Your child may still need glasses after surgery to help them see clearly.
Causes of childhood cataracts
It's not known what causes childhood cataracts.
A child may be more likely to get childhood cataracts if:
- a parent or family member had them when they were a child
- they have a genetic condition, such as Down's syndrome or Marfan syndrome
- their mother had certain illnesses while pregnant, such as rubella (german measles) or cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- they've hit or injured the eye