What are child cataracts?
Cataracts are often thought to only affect older people, but in poorer countries they cause sight loss for more than a hundred thousand babies and infants.
Cataracts are caused by cloudy patches that develop in the lens of the eye. Children experience cataracts as blurry vision, which can affect their development and lead to permanent sight loss.
Cataracts are usually thought to affect older people, but children can also develop them. In many poorer countries, where treatment may be less readily available, cataracts can cause blindness among babies and young children.
What causes child cataracts?
Cataracts are caused by a build-up of protein in the eye. In children, congenital cataracts can be present from birth. They can also appear as a result of eye injuries (known as ‘traumatic cataracts’) or following eye surgery for other problems.
When a child has cataracts, their education will start to suffer. Sometimes their vision becomes so poor that they’re forced to give up school. A lack of education can mean no income, no future and no way to escape poverty.
Luckily, cataracts are not difficult to treat, but it’s vital for children that they are caught in time. If not, their sight may never be properly restored.
Watch our video below to see what walking to school might look like for a child with cataracts.
How do cataracts affect vision?
What does the world look like when you have cataracts? Our simulator will give you an idea.
Try the simulatorWhat does the world look like to a child with cataracts?
No cataracts
This is what a classroom in Sierra Leone might look like to a child with full vision. They can see the blackboard, recognise the teacher’s gestures and notice the reactions of their classmates, enabling them to be involved with the lesson.
With cataracts
Here’s what the same classroom might look like to a child with cataracts. They can barely make out the blackboard or see what is written on it, making it extremely hard to take part in lessons and progress with their studies.
How are child cataracts treated?
Child cataract operation
Cataract surgery for children is carried out under general anaesthetic, so it takes about an hour – a little longer than an adult cataract operation, which only uses local anaesthetic.
Watch a time-lapse of an adult surgery
Replacement lens
During the operation, the clouded lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. If a child has cataracts in both eyes, they will have separate operations for each eye, giving them time to recover in between.
Recovery after surgery
After cataract surgery, the child’s vision can start to return within a couple of hours. They are usually kept in hospital overnight for post-operative checks, and once they are given the all clear, they can then go home the next day.
Our work to treat child cataracts
Cataracts are entirely treatable, but many children and families in poorer countries don’t have access to the medical help they need to help them see again.
For children with cataracts, it’s vital that they are diagnosed and treated in time. If not, their sight can never be properly restored. They may be unable to play with their friends or go to school, leaving them facing a lifetime of poverty.
This is why Sightsavers works in more than 30 countries to carry out eye screenings and enable children to be treated, so their sight can be saved and they are able to get an education, enjoy life and realise their potential.
Each year, Sightsavers helps to provide 300,000 cataract operations for children and adults around the world. Since our work began in 1950, we have helped to provide 8.3 million cataract operations, and trained over 1,020 cataract surgeons.
But to save children’s sight, we need your help.
Will you donate today to our charitable cause? With your help, we can continue our work to help restore children’s sight and give them hope for the future.
A Million Miracles
Our campaign raised enough money to provide a million cataract operations.
About the campaignMeet some of the children we’ve helped
Arif
Two cataract operations at five years old changed Arif’s life, enabling him to continue his education and find work as an adult to support his family. Read Arif’s story
Mary
Ten-year-old Mary had cataracts in both her eyes. But thanks to Sightsavers, she was able to get the treatment she so desperately needed. Read Mary’s story
Donate to help save a child’s sight
