It only seems to people that their faces are symmetrical. In fact, the left side can be very different from the right. There are pictures showing completely symmetrical faces. If you look at such a photo, it immediately becomes clear that it is unnatural. In life, one eye can open more than the other. If this happens in a child, the parents can be seriously worried. Usually there are no reasons for alarm, but in some cases, there are indeed various kinds of deviations from the norm, sometimes serious.
The child has different eye sizes
What if the baby has different eyes in size?
Causes of different eye sizes
The sizes of both the eyes themselves and the pupils may differ. As a rule, the fact that one eye opens more than the other means that the baby has palpebral ptosis in the baby - a condition in which the eyelids drop down, closing the eyes. The baby cannot open its eyes completely.
Face asymmetry babe
This is a serious enough disease that can subsequently lead to amblyopia - a condition in which the eye sees poorly, despite the fact that it looks normal. It's just that he is not stimulated enough and cannot show his full potential.
Different eye slits in babies
If there is a different incision in the palpebral fissure in newborns, this is usually a congenital condition. Caused by the fact that the muscles responsible for opening the eyelids are not sufficiently developed.
Important! As a rule, the reason lies not in genetics, but in the peculiarities of intrauterine development.
Why does one eye open more than the other
If a newborn has one eye larger than the other, the reasons may be as followsmi:
- Allergic reactions.
- Muscle diseases such as Steinert's disease. This is a condition characterized by dystrophic changes in the muscles leading to a weakening of their functions. In this case, the symptoms of pathology extend to other muscles. There are also violations of intelligence, arrhythmia. In children under one month old, Steinert's disease is rare. As a rule, she debuts at 10-20 years old.
- Progressive supranuclear palsy is an atypical symptom of parkinsonism, in which the movement of gaze is limited by more than 50%, it is difficult to keep gaze on an object located on the right side of the visual field without turning the head. Also, a baby cannot turn his head at the same time as his eyes. The disease is accompanied by cognitive impairment. In addition to the different eye sizes, babies may have problems with appetite.
- Horner's Syndrome. This condition is characterized not only by drooping of the eyelids, but also by constriction of the pupil, as well as its poor reaction to light. In addition, a retraction of the eyeball is observed. The disease is combined with heterochromia - various colors of the iris.
- Injuries.
In some cases, the cause of ptosis in infants may be an intracranial tumor or aneurysm. To exclude these dangerous conditions, it is better to go to the doctor immediately when these symptoms appear.
One pupil is larger than the other - disease or norm
Usually, a child's pupils are the same size, but in some cases one may be larger than the other. If this difference exceeds 0.4 millimeters, doctors state anisocoria. This symptom may be caused by the fact that one eye reacts more to light and the other less.
Mom with baby
It is possible to say that different pupils are the norm only if the difference in the diameter of the pupils does not exceed 1 millimeter. In this case, there is no threat to vision. Also an important condition that distinguishes the norm from pathology is the preservation of the pupil's response to light.
The child should already be born with different pupils. If the condition develops suddenly, this may indicate pathology. The reasons may be as follows:
- Horner's Syndrome.
- Pathology of the oculomotor nerve. May be due to neuropathy or trauma.
- Injury to the muscles of the iris caused by various injuries, including surgery. In this condition, there is a deterioration in the reaction of the eye to light.
Swelling or concussion can also cause different eye sizes in an infant.
Important! Some of the reasons why babies have different pupils and why the eyelids are drooping are the same.
To make sure that the differences between the pupils are not caused by pathology, an ultrasound scan is performed. The doctor needs to rule out hydrocephalus, decreased brain size, and other conditions.
Which doctor to contact
First of all, if there is an asymmetry in the eyes of a child, it is necessary to go to the pediatrician, only on the condition that the baby's well-being is really wrong. Don't worry about it for no reason. The child will only become infected with the bad mood of the parents.
Depending on the cause of the disease, neurologists, ophthalmologists, oncologists and other specialists may be involved in it. The parent is not able to independently determine which specialist to go to. The children's doctor will refer you to the right doctor if he suspects any violation.
Dr. Komarovsky about different eye sizes
Dr. Komarovsky did not say anything about what to do if a child has different eye sizes. At his forum, this topic was repeatedly raised. They answer that this is part of the norm. On the official website of the doctor, an ophthalmologist, Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Komarovskaya, left a comment on this matter.
Kid with anisocoria
She said that this may be a natural feature of the innervation of the iris, and made a recommendation to test the child's vision when he turns 3.5-4 years old, but only as a planned measure, since anisocoria does not affect vision.
Thus, if there are any doubts about the health of the child, it should be immediately shown to the doctor. If a newborn's eye opens more than the other, then you need to try to correct this condition. If the eyelids cannot open fully, then this is not the biggest problem. If you cure it before 8 years, there will be no special consequences.
