Epicanthal Folds Causes

Epicanthic folds is a congenital disorder in which patient have skin fold of upper eyelid and it covers half or full caruncle. It mostly found in chinese, korean and japanese people. Eyes look small and long. As it is a congenital disorder, so it appears during development of fetus within womb of mother. It is normal in new born babies which disappears later with the passage of time. But if it does not disappear, it means it belongs to a pathological disease. It may occur in many diseases. Some of them are as follows

DOWN SYNDROME

Down syndrome itself is a congenital syndrome. In this syndrome new born is mentally retarded and have development problems. When there is extra copy of chromosome no. 21 in fetus, then down syndrome occurs. When child born with down syndrome, he have flat face, short neck, abnormal ears and epicanthic folds. With these features child looks like mongolian people.

TURNER SYNDROME:

Turner syndrome is also a congenital syndrome. In which there is abnormality found in one X chromosome. As X chromosome is involved, so women are effected more in number. Women with turner syndrome have 45 no. of chromosomes. It is a rare syndrome and approximately 1 women is affected in every 2500 women. Main feature of turner syndrome is patient lack secondary sex characteristics. Along with this problem, patient also have hollow type of chest, abnormally short stature and webbed neck. Epicanthic fold is also a main symptom of turner syndrome.

FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME:

In this syndrome, mother used to drink alcohol on a very long note that it effects fetus. Consuming excessive alcohol leads to retarded fetal growrh, abnormal facial features, low birth weight and epicanthic folds. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome have vision and hearing problem too. Central nervous system is also effected.

WILLIAM SYNDROME:

William syndrome consist of many pathological conditions like problem in kidney, problem in cardiovascular system, delay in development process, disability of learning and high blood pressure. Physical features of william syndrome involves short abnormal stature, wide mouth with big upper lips. Eyes become puffed and epicanthic folds occur.

NOONAN SYNDROME:

Noonan syndrome is a genetic disorder in which patient have under developed body parts. Some physical features of patients with noonan syndrome include defects in heart, deformity in chest and undescended testicles. Patient with noonan syndrome has down slanting eyes with epicanthic folds. Patient may also suffer from mental retardation.

WOLF HIRSCHHORN SYNDROME:

It is also a genetic disorder, in this syndrome patient have a chromosomal mutation at chromosome no. 4. It mostly occurs in females as compared to men. It is a rare syndrome. This syndrome also show short abnormal stature, defects in heart, wide and prominent fore head. Head size is small with wide eyes. Eyes of patient with wolf hirschhorn syndrome have epicanthic folds.

All these conditions mentioned and discussed above have epicanthic eyes as physical feature. Epicanthic eyes in these conditions play role as a diagnostic feature for these diseases.