ABSTRACT
Paediatric, ophthalmic problems arise either because of an inherited condition (congenital) or acquired problems. The congenital problems are either due to genetic defects, where a positive family history of the trait can be traced, or to intra-uterine problems during the nine months of foetal development. Some of these problems are unaccountable but others are due to identifiable risks such as maternal rubella (German measles), toxoplasmosis or the effects of maternal drug ingestion, of which thalidomide is the best known. Problems can occur during the birth period when a child’s eyes can become infected with the mother’s venereal infection such as chlamydia, herpes or gonorrhoea. Infectious diseases of infancy such as measles or chickenpox can have ocular manifestations, and trauma plays a significant role in the morbidity of children’s eyes.
