Congenital ocular anomalies

What are congenital ocular anomalies?

Congenital (present at birth) ocular anomalies are eye malformations that happen during a baby's development in the womb. These eye malformations are present at birth and include a variety of noticeable irregularities and conditions of the eye.

What are the different types of congenital ocular anomalies?

Several types of congenital ocular anomalies can occur, including:

• Aniridia - partial or complete absence of the iris (colored part of the eye) in one or both eyes.
• Anophthalmia - absence of one or both eyes
• Coloboma - this is optic fissure (narrow hole) that did not close in one of the structures of the eye (iris, retina, lens or choroid)
• Microphthalmia - one or both eyes are smaller than average
• Optic nerve hypoplasia - optic nerve hypoplasia is when optic nerve hasn't developed properly or is absent

What are the signs and symptoms of congenital ocular anomalies?

Symptoms for pediatric congenital ocular anomalies vary by type, but in general can include:

• Abnormal appearance
• Impaired vision