We want our children to see the world through bright, clear eyes. But vision problems in children can develop at any age, even before birth or in newborns. Early eye problems in young children include:

• Blocked tear ducts: Can cause eye infections
• Retinopathy of prematurity: Condition in some premature babies in which the back of the eye (retina) isn’t fully developed
• Cataract: Cloudy area on the lens, which prevents light from passing through and causes distorted vision
• Glaucoma: Excessive pressure on the eyes, which can lead to vision loss

Other conditions have unkind and misleading nicknames, such as:

• Lazy eye: Also known as amblyopia, a problem in the way the brain interprets visual images from one or both eyes
• Cross eyes: Also known as strabismus, it occurs when the eyes appear to focus in separate directions
• Other problems can occur at any age in children, such as astigmatism, blurry vision caused when the protective layer of the eye is uneven, or difficulty seeing things far away (nearsightnedness) or things that are close (farsightedness)

The eye specialists at Mercy Kids can care for your child’s vision from birth through adolescence. They can diagnose and treat both common and specialized eye issues and even perform surgery if needed.