Characteristic

There are various types and causes of birth defects in babies. Of the various possibilities, one of which includes blindness in infants. In fact, the ability to see well in babies plays an important role in supporting their development process. So, what are the signs or features that need to be considered when babies and children have blind eyes?

Ability to see babies and children

The ability of babies to see clearly cannot be separated from the cooperation between the eyes and the brain.

The eye consists of various different parts including the cornea, lens, iris, and retina.

All parts of the eye work together so that light, images, and objects seen can be clearly captured and focused by the eye.

Furthermore, the nerves in the eye are responsible for sending objects, images, and visible light to the brain.

That's when the brain works to process and recognize what the eye perceives.

Although the process may seem complicated, in fact it is the collaboration between the eye and the brain so that a person can perceive what is seen happening in a moment.

What are the characteristics of blind babies and children?

Blindness is the inability or limited function of the eye to see anything, be it light.

Before understanding further about the signs or characteristics of babies with blind eyes, first know that blindness can be divided into two types.

The first is partial blindness which is defined as partial blindness. Examples of this condition include blurred vision or the inability of the eye to distinguish the shape of objects.

While the second type is total blindness. This condition occurs when the baby's eyes do not function at all, aka unable to see any objects or light.

Various things that can cause blind eyes in babies and children include:

Eye infection
Blocked tear ducts
Cataract
Cross-eyed (strabismus)
Lazy eye (amblyopia)
Dropped eyelid (ptosis)
Have congenital glaucoma
Delay in the development of the visual or visual system in infants and children
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a condition commonly experienced by premature babies.

This condition occurs when the blood vessels that are responsible for supporting the work of the retina are not yet fully developed.

The characteristics of a blind baby

Quoting from the Healthy Children page, when the eyes of a baby, toddler, and preschooler look out of alignment, these are characteristics that should not be ignored.

It's a good idea to check with a doctor to find out the possibility of blind eyes.

However, don't confuse it with a sign that looks like lazy eye (amblyopia). Usually this condition does not show the same characteristics as a blind baby's eye.

Launching from the Kids Health page, when a series of seeing processes doesn't work properly, it is one of the characteristics of a blind baby.

Signs or characteristics of a blind baby can occur in one or both eyes. For the most part, the ability of babies to see faces and objects from birth is not very clear.

However, there are also those who develop this ability at the age of 4 weeks to 5 weeks of age.

According to Denver II, babies will usually develop a smile on their own or to familiar people at 6 weeks and 7 weeks of age.

Unfortunately, if a baby has a vision impairment, automatically this ability will not develop properly.

Well, here are the characteristics of a baby who is blind so that he cannot see:

Your baby's eyes have opened
Rub your eyes frequently
The eyes look chronically red
The pupils appear white instead of black
Poor visual acuity and not fully developed
Cannot see even at close range
Not attracted to brightly colored and moving objects
The eye does not follow moving objects
There has been no progress in seeing both near and far
Until 6 months of age, the eyes do not develop as well as they should
Until the age of 1 year, there is no eye-body coordination
Has poor eye focus

The characteristics of a child experiencing blind eyes

Similar to what is experienced by infants and toddlers, here are the characteristics of a blind child's eye, including:

The eyes look out of alignment, like squints or not in focus on each other
The pupils are not black in color, but rather white or slightly grayish white
Reddish eyes
There is a crust on one or both eyes
Always water in one or both eyes
The eyelids droop or appear abnormal
Eyes sensitive to light

When to see a doctor

As a parent, you are advised to check the condition for the characteristics of babies and children who are blind or have vision problems.

We recommend that you check with an ophthalmologist or specialist ophthalmologist.

The child's eyes must be checked whether it is when they have vision problems that are still relatively minor or even if they are serious.

It is not only intended to detect problems with the baby's vision development as early as possible.

However, also check the vision problems of babies and children and help them get the right treatment.

Eye examinations at a certain age

Generally, the doctor will perform a vision examination from birth to look for possible features of a baby's blind eyes.

Therefore, parents should bring their baby or child to have regular eye examinations.

The American Optometric Association recommends that a child's eyes be checked to prevent blindness at:

When a new baby is born and 6 months of age
When the child is 3 years old
Every year when you are between the ages of 6 and 17

At the age of 6 months, doctors will usually check the condition related to visual acuity, focus of vision, to eye alignment.

Don't underestimate it if your little one doesn't show visual stimulation at 6 to 8 weeks of age.

Moreover, if the baby does not react to light or does not focus on colored objects between the ages of 2 and 3 months.

If you notice that your baby has signs of visual impairment, do not delay to take him to the doctor to prevent possible blindness.

Eye examination of babies and children who are blind

There are examinations that are done specifically by doctors to see the characteristics of the eyes of babies and children who have a blind condition.

A doctor can do an examination of the baby's vision development using special tests, such as:

1. A test that can be done by placing objects or toys in front of the baby to assess how focused his vision is.

2. In addition, the doctor will also assess whether the baby can follow or pay attention to the movement of bright and colored objects in front of him.

3. Eye examination is also performed by the doctor by looking at the baby's eye structure.

4. Then, the doctor can also check the baby's vision by using a special lighting device.

5. The tool serves to allow the doctor to see inside your little one's eyeballs.

6. In this way, the doctor will observe every part of your baby's eye to find out any problems that affect his ability to see.

7. After that, the doctor will determine the right steps to treat vision problems, including the characteristics of a blind baby's eyes.

For children who can read, the doctor will assess vision function by asking him to read letters in a variety of different sizes.

This child's eye examination aims to find out how well his ability to see.

If the child's vision development is good, he can generally read letters of different sizes within 6 meters.