WHAT IS A COLOBOMA?
A coloboma is a gap in part of the structures of the eye and is caused when they do not develop normally during pregnancy.
It affects around one in 10,000 births.
Coloboma can affect one or both eyes, with the areas it impacts also varying, including the iris, lens, retina or blood vessels.
The affect it has on vision depends on which part of the eye is impacted and how big the gap is.
If it affects the iris, which is common in children, vision is usually fairly good. However, they may dislike bright lights and find their vision becomes distorted.
Patients can sometimes also have problems with other parts of their bodies, such as heart defects, undescended testicles and ear abnormalities.
There is no treatment for coloboma, with therapies focusing on supporting children with reduced vision.
Source: Royal National Institute of Blindness
WHAT IS MICROPHTHALMIA?
Microphthalmia is an eye abnormality that arises before birth and affects around one in 10,000 people.
It causes one or both eyeballs to be abnormally small.
They may be so tiny they appear to be missing.
Microphthalmia often occurs due to missing tissue that forms the eyes' structures.
Sufferers usually have severe vision impairment.
Microphthalmia may be caused by genetic changes or environmental factors during early development, such as radiation or a lack of vitamins during pregnancy.
Surgery and visual aids are usually required.
Source: US National Library of Medicine
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